As a teacher and student I have seen learning go from the face to face classroom with courses offered in a paper based format to the inclusion of fully online schools. At the secondary level online learning, DL, has been delivered in continuous entry, continuous completion model, whereas at the post-secondary level I have participated in online learning through a cohort based model.
I have been teaching in DL for over nine years. I have seen distributed learning move from paper based learning where registration was face to face, to online learning now eLearning where courses are all online, hosted both in LMS and non-LMS, and registration can occur face to face, through Skype or directly on a school’s website (1). These improvements have seen the increased ability of online learning to be designed for best practices and meet the learning styles of all students whether a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner (2), as well as developing teacher presence, social presence and cognitive presence (3).
At the DL school I teach at we began teaching online using the LMS Blackboard, at the time functionality was limited to the uploading of only word based text and communication through grade book. At this time registration was face to face or through email. We have over the years had a number of upgrades to Blackboard and our registration process. The Blackboard upgrades have allowed us to move from just text based courses to being able to embed videos both information and teacher instruction, photos, Voki avatars and links to access a myriad of presentation tools such as Prezzie and Glogster, and group discussions can occur right in Blackboard. We have embedded, in Blackboard, secondary math programs that teach a full math course, that include visual and verbal lessons, manipulatives, and if a student is unsure of a concept it will automatically take him/her to a tutorial on the concepts. In one of our science courses, an embedded program allows students to do a virtual dissection of a frog. Communication from the teacher has continued through grade book, but it is now upgraded and allows you to also upload video responses as well we can email both students and parents through Blackboard. Updated word documents allow teachers to embed their comments directly in to a document and then upload it to Blackboard. Further communication with students can occur through Blackboard Collaborate, Skype, and for those who live locally they have the opportunity to come onsite for support. Registration can still occur face to face and through email, but also occurs through Skype.
Almost any topic students want to learn about can now be found either on the World Wide Web or purchased and shared in an online environment. We saw the use, in OLTD 503, of learning management systems Blackboard and D2L, non-LMS wiki, Weebly and Google Drive. Some of these were totally asynchronous, while others were a combination of asynchronous and synchronous. Two groups used an LMS to host their course. In my group’s facilitation week, D2L was used asynchronously to host our seminar and for the discussion forum, all other activities, Twitter chat, a synchronous tool, and Twitter hashtag, and Google surveys, asynchronous activities, occurred outside of the LMS. In the seminar hosted in Blackboard, which occurred totally asynchronously, one assignment Pintrest was outside the LMS, all other discussions and reflections were posted in Blackboard. In the Non-LMS wiki, which occurred totally asynchronously, a Twitter hashtag was hosted outside the wiki all others occurred inside, this included the getting to know activities which included the creation of a Voki and discussion posts. In Weebly, a non-LMS, the site hosted the seminar but the activities were outside. These included the use of Wallwasher and then discussion posts in our personal websites, all asynchronous activities. The other non-LMS used was Google Drive, this seminar hosted two synchronous meetings through Collaborate. All other activities were held asynchronously, the discussion forum was hosted in D2L which introduced us to the verbal response option and an assignment was posted in to Google Docs. We also had the opportunity to earn a badge (4) for our hard work. Through the participation in these varied activities, which I feel meet the needs of both auditory learners, visual learners and at times the kinesthetic learner, a true sense of collaboration occurred for me, and a sense of teacher presence, social presence and cognitive, demonstrating that best practices can be applied to the design of online learning courses.
The one difference between how I teach my courses and the courses we are presently taking is the delivery model. My online courses are taught in a continuous entry model where as our online diploma program is with a cohort group. In my courses students can register at any time throughout the year, rarely do I have two students at the same place in any given course. Due dates are given for certain parts of the course but the ministry allows students up to a calendar year to complete a DL course. I keep in touch with my students regularly through email, Skype or phone calls. As I teach PE the students’ community is those they participate with in the community friends, family or the others on their team or in their dance class. In OLTD we all began the course at the same time. We have set assignment due dates and know when each course will end. A true sense of social presence has been developed because we have all participated in a myriad of activities at the same time. We have also had the opportunity to participate in small group activities and presentation. All of these have helped to develop a social presence. This is not always seen in continuous entry as there is not that opportunity to participate in authentic communication or group activities with other students.
I am not sure what direction DL is going in BC. I know there is a true need for DL schools and for the continuous entry model. I have seen, in my PE courses, students who are physically active getting credit for activities they already participate in in the community, but registering at a time that best matches their course schedule, so they do not end up overloaded. It allows students, who are uncomfortable in a regular gym class, have anxiety, or who are in grade 11 or 12 and never participated in or completed PE 10, to do so in an environment that meets their needs. It also gives them control of their learning, both what physical activities they participate, and when and where they do the activities, as well as when they do the related written work.
The cohort model relates, I think, to a bricks and mortar class in that all students are moving at the same pace, with set weekly goals. What is different, is that in cohort based online environment students are working in a location that best suits their needs and at a time during the day and/or week that works best for them, while still participating in synchronous learning activities. This has been for me a successful way to learn. It makes me wonder if this kind of learning is occurring in BC at the secondary level.
Whichever direction online learning eLearning goes, what is of most importance is that teachers focus on best practices in the design of their courses, taking in to account the different learning styles of students and the importance of the development of teacher presence, social presence and cognitive presence.
Question: Do you have, in your school district, online learning occurring through a cohort model at the secondary level, such as we have seen in OLTD, or do all DL schools in BC only offer continuous entry, continuous completion secondary courses? If you do have the former what are the successes and challenges you see?
References
1. http://www.navigatenides.com/registration/index
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles
3. http://communitiesofinquiry.com/model
4. http://openbadges.org/en-US/