OMDE 603 Technology in Distance Education
A review of the history and terminology of the technology used in distance education. The basic technology building blocks of hardware, networks and software are identified. Analysis covers the characteristics of asynchronous and synchronous technologies and tools used in the teaching and learning, as well as the administration of distance education. The relationship between technology and the goals of the educational/training organization are critically examined. The relationship between information technology (especially online technology) and distance education is explored. Topics include the criteria and guidelines for selecting technologies for distance education and future directions of technology in distance education.
Course Attendance: Spring Semester 2008 (January -May)
Professor: Gilda Kurtz
Final Grade: A
Papers: Comparative analysis of Asynchronous and Synchronous technologies.
Comparative analysis of "old" and "new" distance education technologies
Technology Selection for UMUC Undergraduate Marketing Program
Professor: Gilda Kurtz
Final Grade: A
Papers: Comparative analysis of Asynchronous and Synchronous technologies.
Comparative analysis of "old" and "new" distance education technologies
Technology Selection for UMUC Undergraduate Marketing Program
Comparative analysis of Asynchronous and Synchronous Technologies Feb23rd 2008
Introduction
Internet-based virtual classroom technologies have led to a world-wide explosion of activity and participation in distance education and have invoked an examination of effective teaching pedagogy for this new medium (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). Synchronous and asynchronous technologies form two distinctive platforms for online education and their attributes have a significant influence on the teaching pedagogy. “Synchronous technologies require all participants to participate at the same time…creating a sense of community. Asynchronous technologies allow participants to access the technology at any time of their choosing,,,,providing flexibility and convenience for both teachers and learners” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p.54). This paper provides a comparative analysis of a synchronous, Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional (hereafter called Connect), and an asynchronous, Moodle, web-based educational systems.
General Aspects
Connect is a commercial web-based synchronous platform for education, corporate training and business meetings. Its features include interactive text and audio conferencing, a rich media content including shared screens, applications and documents and video, and the ability to record meetings for later on-demand viewing (Adobe, 2008).
Moodle is a free texted based course management system (CMS) designed to help educators create effective online learning communities. Moodle is an open sourced system enabling course designers and instructors to extend and customize the overall CMS functionality (Moodle, 2008). Each of its three standard modules (content, interactive and assessment) can be further customized to meet the learning needs for a specific course.
Technological View Both Connect and Moodle operate on conventional computing platforms with browsers and software applications that are easily available through free software downloads. However in order to fully participate in Connect’s rich multimedia applications a higher level of computing hardware is required: broadband, sound card/speaker, microphone.
Instructor Options
Moodle allows instructors to design and operate their class by posting lectures, configuring and guiding discussion boards, assigning and grading homework and quizzes, tracking student participation, and guide and facilitate interval and group learning process (Moodle, 2008). As a multimedia synchronous system Connect can be operated similar to a face-to-face teaching environment: Audio conferencing, power-point presentations, play videos, whiteboarding. The multimedia files can be preconfigured and saved for future classes (Adobe, 2008).
Pedagogical view
Distance education requires a shift in roles between instructors and students. “The learner constitutes the center of the universe, and teaching no longer drives learning: instead, teaching responds to and supports learning” (Moore & Kearsley,2005, p.20). As such, online classrooms provides an ideal environment for constructionist pedagogy which maintains that “the best learning results when the learner processes and integrates new experiences into his or her existing constructs…Constructivist teaching tends to be more holistic, more collaborative in method, and more accepting of learner initiatives” (Fahy, p.148 -149). Both the Connect and Moodle platforms support the constructionist teaching philosophy. In fact, Moodle promotes a social constructionist pedagogy through instructor-student and student-student group discussions (Moodle, 2008). “Social constructivists view interaction as a greater importance to learning than mere access to information” (Fahy, p.149).
The interactive data, voice and video capability of Connect also provides an excellent platform for constructionist pedagogy. McGreal and Elliot (2004) describe web whiteboarding as “a form of graphic conferencing used in combination with VoIP as a single tool in generating Web applications that support real-time collaboration” (p.123). Fahy (2004) asserts that to create an environment in which high levels of relationship building and information exchange are required, audio conferencing, video and data should be present. However in the Connect platform, the instructor has a higher degree of control over the information flow, and through this control can configure the session to be a one way lecture as in a ‘transmission pedagogy’, or share the stage with the students in a constructionist pedagogy.
Key strengths and limitations of the systems
The strengths and limitations of these systems center on technology, the benefits and limitations of asynchronous versus synchronous systems, and price.
In terms of technology, Moodle being a text based system requires basic computing technology and operates on low-speed Internet transmission. Thus it provides educational access to a broad range of students including in developing countries. The open sourced adaptable environment has the benefits of flexibility but could be intimidating to non-technologically inclined instructors. The Connect system has a much higher degree of sophisticated multimedia technology however the system requirements are greater: broadband, sound card, headset and speakers. The increased technological requirements and complexity limits the number of users and increases the probability of technology glitches.
Moodle is an asynchronous system (apart from a synchronous text based chat feature). Asynchronous systems are generally favored in the current distance education environment as they provide multi-tasking adult learners the flexibility to participate in the class at any time and any place (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). In addition, asynchronous systems provide students time to provide deeper thinking, well-researched responses. However, synchronous technologies provide “real-time collaboration” (McGreal & Elliot, 2004, p.123) similar to that found in traditional classroom environment. “Social presence and cohesion that video fosters among users is valued especially by participants new to distance education, and may improve motivation” (p.160). Synchronous technologies also enable students to get immediate feedback to their questions and the professor to “encourage students to participate, using personal examples and humor, providing and inviting feedback, and addressing people by name” (Park & Bonk, 2007, p.308). The weakness of synchronous systems is that a fixed time needs to be set which is very difficult for busy adult learners and especially in a global multi-time zone environment.
The final factor is price, to operate Connect the education institution needs to purchase a license, whereas Moodle is free.
References
Adobe. (2008). Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional User Guide. Retrieved February 18th 2008 from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/productinfo/datasheet/
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Fahy, J. P. (2004). Media characteristics and online learning technology. In T. Anderson. & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 137-171). Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch6.html
McGreal, R. & Elliot, M. (2004). Technologies of online learning (e-learning). In T. Anderson. & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 137-171). Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch5.html
Moodle. (2008). Moodle: A free, open source course management system for online learning. Retrieved February 18th 2008 from http://moodle.org/
Moore, M., Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A system view 2nd ed. CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Park, Y.J., Bonk, C.J. (2007). Is online life a breeze? A case study for promoting synchronous learning in a blended graduate course. Journal of Online learning and teaching. Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no3/park.pdf
Internet-based virtual classroom technologies have led to a world-wide explosion of activity and participation in distance education and have invoked an examination of effective teaching pedagogy for this new medium (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). Synchronous and asynchronous technologies form two distinctive platforms for online education and their attributes have a significant influence on the teaching pedagogy. “Synchronous technologies require all participants to participate at the same time…creating a sense of community. Asynchronous technologies allow participants to access the technology at any time of their choosing,,,,providing flexibility and convenience for both teachers and learners” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p.54). This paper provides a comparative analysis of a synchronous, Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional (hereafter called Connect), and an asynchronous, Moodle, web-based educational systems.
General Aspects
Connect is a commercial web-based synchronous platform for education, corporate training and business meetings. Its features include interactive text and audio conferencing, a rich media content including shared screens, applications and documents and video, and the ability to record meetings for later on-demand viewing (Adobe, 2008).
Moodle is a free texted based course management system (CMS) designed to help educators create effective online learning communities. Moodle is an open sourced system enabling course designers and instructors to extend and customize the overall CMS functionality (Moodle, 2008). Each of its three standard modules (content, interactive and assessment) can be further customized to meet the learning needs for a specific course.
Technological View Both Connect and Moodle operate on conventional computing platforms with browsers and software applications that are easily available through free software downloads. However in order to fully participate in Connect’s rich multimedia applications a higher level of computing hardware is required: broadband, sound card/speaker, microphone.
Instructor Options
Moodle allows instructors to design and operate their class by posting lectures, configuring and guiding discussion boards, assigning and grading homework and quizzes, tracking student participation, and guide and facilitate interval and group learning process (Moodle, 2008). As a multimedia synchronous system Connect can be operated similar to a face-to-face teaching environment: Audio conferencing, power-point presentations, play videos, whiteboarding. The multimedia files can be preconfigured and saved for future classes (Adobe, 2008).
Pedagogical view
Distance education requires a shift in roles between instructors and students. “The learner constitutes the center of the universe, and teaching no longer drives learning: instead, teaching responds to and supports learning” (Moore & Kearsley,2005, p.20). As such, online classrooms provides an ideal environment for constructionist pedagogy which maintains that “the best learning results when the learner processes and integrates new experiences into his or her existing constructs…Constructivist teaching tends to be more holistic, more collaborative in method, and more accepting of learner initiatives” (Fahy, p.148 -149). Both the Connect and Moodle platforms support the constructionist teaching philosophy. In fact, Moodle promotes a social constructionist pedagogy through instructor-student and student-student group discussions (Moodle, 2008). “Social constructivists view interaction as a greater importance to learning than mere access to information” (Fahy, p.149).
The interactive data, voice and video capability of Connect also provides an excellent platform for constructionist pedagogy. McGreal and Elliot (2004) describe web whiteboarding as “a form of graphic conferencing used in combination with VoIP as a single tool in generating Web applications that support real-time collaboration” (p.123). Fahy (2004) asserts that to create an environment in which high levels of relationship building and information exchange are required, audio conferencing, video and data should be present. However in the Connect platform, the instructor has a higher degree of control over the information flow, and through this control can configure the session to be a one way lecture as in a ‘transmission pedagogy’, or share the stage with the students in a constructionist pedagogy.
Key strengths and limitations of the systems
The strengths and limitations of these systems center on technology, the benefits and limitations of asynchronous versus synchronous systems, and price.
In terms of technology, Moodle being a text based system requires basic computing technology and operates on low-speed Internet transmission. Thus it provides educational access to a broad range of students including in developing countries. The open sourced adaptable environment has the benefits of flexibility but could be intimidating to non-technologically inclined instructors. The Connect system has a much higher degree of sophisticated multimedia technology however the system requirements are greater: broadband, sound card, headset and speakers. The increased technological requirements and complexity limits the number of users and increases the probability of technology glitches.
Moodle is an asynchronous system (apart from a synchronous text based chat feature). Asynchronous systems are generally favored in the current distance education environment as they provide multi-tasking adult learners the flexibility to participate in the class at any time and any place (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). In addition, asynchronous systems provide students time to provide deeper thinking, well-researched responses. However, synchronous technologies provide “real-time collaboration” (McGreal & Elliot, 2004, p.123) similar to that found in traditional classroom environment. “Social presence and cohesion that video fosters among users is valued especially by participants new to distance education, and may improve motivation” (p.160). Synchronous technologies also enable students to get immediate feedback to their questions and the professor to “encourage students to participate, using personal examples and humor, providing and inviting feedback, and addressing people by name” (Park & Bonk, 2007, p.308). The weakness of synchronous systems is that a fixed time needs to be set which is very difficult for busy adult learners and especially in a global multi-time zone environment.
The final factor is price, to operate Connect the education institution needs to purchase a license, whereas Moodle is free.
References
Adobe. (2008). Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional User Guide. Retrieved February 18th 2008 from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/productinfo/datasheet/
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Fahy, J. P. (2004). Media characteristics and online learning technology. In T. Anderson. & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 137-171). Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch6.html
McGreal, R. & Elliot, M. (2004). Technologies of online learning (e-learning). In T. Anderson. & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 137-171). Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch5.html
Moodle. (2008). Moodle: A free, open source course management system for online learning. Retrieved February 18th 2008 from http://moodle.org/
Moore, M., Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A system view 2nd ed. CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Park, Y.J., Bonk, C.J. (2007). Is online life a breeze? A case study for promoting synchronous learning in a blended graduate course. Journal of Online learning and teaching. Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no3/park.pdf
Comparative analysis of "old" and "new" distance education technologies April 9th 2008
Introduction
Over the past one hundred and twenty years Distance Education (DE) has evolved through five generation of technologies starting with correspondence study in the early 1880s to the current online Internet-based virtual class environment (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). Each generation of technological advancement has provided a higher degree of teaching and learning capabilities with enhanced interaction capabilities but has also required different pedagogical design approaches and student support mechanisms. This paper provides a comparative analysis between correspondence study, an “old technology”, and asynchronous online Internet-based learning management systems (LMS), a “new technology”, in the modes of interaction, course design approaches and student support.
Modes of Interaction
Anderson (2003) maintains that “interaction is a complex and multifaceted concept” (p.129) and combines Hannifin (1989) and Holmberg (1995) description of the functions of interaction in an educational context: (1) Pacing of the content; (2) Elaboration; (3) Student feedback; (4) Navigation; (5) Inquiry; (6) Study pleasure and motivation. Anderson (2003) further describes six modes of interaction in distance education; a comparison between a correspondence and an asynchronous Internet LMS course for each of the six modes of interaction is described in Table 1.
Mode of Interaction
Student - Teacher
Correspondence - Minimal: Initial course navigation and pacing; Major Assignment/Exam feedback. Response time –weeks/months.
Asynchronous LMS - Good: Pacing/elaboration/ navigation /motivation throughout. 24/48 hours response to student inquiry and feedback.
Student - Student
Correspondence- None
Asynchronous LMS - Good: Facilitates asynchronous student discussions and group assignments.
Student- Content
Correspondence- Fundamental: Primary interaction for subject matter learning.
Asynchronous LMS - Excellent: Facilitates comprehensive interaction with printed material, Internet information, videos.
Teacher - Content
Correspondence- Fair: Initial course preparations
Asynchronous LMS - Excellent: Initial course preparation and throughout the course.
Teacher - Teacher
Correspondence- Very Good: Team approach in course pedagogy and preparation
Asynchronous LMS - Good: Team approach in initial course development; Adjunct isolation ongoing.
Content - Content
Correspondence- None
Asynchronous LMS - Excellent: Internet search engines.
Table 1: Comparison of the Mode of Interaction between Correspondence Study and asynchronous LMS study
In correspondence study, after the initial receipt of the course curriculum, reading list (typically all print based text) and course guide, the student studies the material independently. The only interaction the student has with the teacher is from feedback in the final exam and, in some cases, feedback in one or two major assignments during the course. (Bates & Poole, 2003). Courses using LMS technology helps to alleviate the feeling of student isolation as the platform facilitates student-teacher and student-student interaction. Although the interaction is not immediate, taking 24 to 48 hours for a response, is frequent enough to faciltate ongoing interaction in all six functions of interaction in an educational context (Anderson, 2003). In addition, as the LMS platform is on the Internet, it allows both the teacher and student easy interaction with a broad array of educational content on the World Wide Web from within the virtual classroom and to utilize Internet search engines.
Design Approaches of Technology-Based Learning
“All teaching and learning systems should be built on two foundations: the needs of the intended students, and the learning outcomes of the course” (Davis, 2004, p. 98).
“Most students in distance education are adults” (Moore & Kearsley, 2005: p.185) and thus DE course development should be planned and developed in accordance with the principles of adult and independent learning educational pedagogies. (Holdberg, 1995; Moore & Kearsley, 2005). This is especially true for correspondence study where there is little teacher-student interaction (Bates & Poole, 2003). The increased interactive mode of LMS platforms have decreased (although not eliminating) the level of student autonomy and in doing so has started to meet the needs of young adult students.
In terms of achieving the learning outcomes of the course the modes of interaction play an important role in determine if the course design should be a controlled systems approach or an open, intuitive constructionist approach. “A systems approach to instructional design has proved particularly powerful for technology-based teaching” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p. 153). The systems approach is a controlled project management model which carefully designs and considers all aspects of the course: design, production and development, delivery, evaluation, maintenance, student administration and support services. The design and development requires a team approach involving instructional designers, subject matter experts, technology experts and the instructor (Bates & Poole). This controlled approach is essential in a correspondence course where once the initial matter and course guide is sent out there is little opportunity for course correction. In the online LMS approach, a systems approach is still recommended to meet the essential principles for effective course development: clear goals and objectives, good structure, small manageable units, and repetition, feedback and evaluation (Moore & Kearsley, 2005; Holmberg, 1995). However the increased teacher-student interaction provides the instructor with increased flexibility to adjust the course direction to meet the needs of students in a specific class.
Student Support
Moore & Kearsley (2005) maintains that “the learner constitutes the center of the universe, and that teaching no longer drives learning: instead, teaching responds to and supports learning” (p.20). The isolation of DE students has led distance educators to have “a clear understanding that student support services are integral to the overall working of their systems” (Rumble, 2000, p. 233). Although this realization may have been a result of the historically high drop out rate of correspondence courses in the 1960s (Rumble, 2000).
In using a systems approach to course design, student support administration and services are considered. These services include academic support (tutoring, guidance and counseling service, library and feedback), and non-academic support (career counseling, financial services, record keeping, and technical support). Advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have made a significant impact to the feelings of isolation of DE students, students currently using online LMS technologies operate in a significant more interactive service oriented environment. Citing the Levine report, Rumble (2000) states that “all they [students] want is simple procedures, good service, quality courses, and low costs” (p.217). Paradoxically the drive to decrease costs through the use of technology has led to a “dehumanizing experience” (p. 217) and “online learning staff and systems need a lot of support and maintenance” (Davis, 2004, p.102).
Conclusion
The technological advancements that have facilitated the shift from correspondence study to Internet-based learning management systems have resulted in significant improvements in educational interaction, course design and student support. However there are a lot of similarities, the challenge of alleviating student isolation from both an academic and support services although diminishing still remains, and distance communication even in today’s advanced technology environment still does not compare to the social interaction of face-to-face classrooms. However the comparison reminds us of both the rapid advancements in distance education and foresight of educators in adopting ever new technologies to meet the needs of increasing demanding students.
References
Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M. G. Moore & W. G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 129-144). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bates, A.W. (2005). Technology, E-learning and Distance Education 2nd Edition. New York NY: Routledge
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Davis, A. (2004). Developing an infrastructure for online learning In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning (pp 97 – 114). Athabasca University. Retrieved online March 23rd 2008 at http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch4.html,
Hannafin, M.J. (1989). Inter-action strategies and emerging instructional technologies. Canadian Journal of Educational Communication, 18, 167-179.
Holmberg, B. (1995). Theory and practice of distance education (2nd rev. ed.). London/New York: Routledge.
Moore, M., Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A system view 2nd ed. CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Rumble, G. (2000). Student support in distance education in the 21st century: Learning from service management. Distance education, 21(2), 216-235.
Over the past one hundred and twenty years Distance Education (DE) has evolved through five generation of technologies starting with correspondence study in the early 1880s to the current online Internet-based virtual class environment (Moore & Kearsley, 2005). Each generation of technological advancement has provided a higher degree of teaching and learning capabilities with enhanced interaction capabilities but has also required different pedagogical design approaches and student support mechanisms. This paper provides a comparative analysis between correspondence study, an “old technology”, and asynchronous online Internet-based learning management systems (LMS), a “new technology”, in the modes of interaction, course design approaches and student support.
Modes of Interaction
Anderson (2003) maintains that “interaction is a complex and multifaceted concept” (p.129) and combines Hannifin (1989) and Holmberg (1995) description of the functions of interaction in an educational context: (1) Pacing of the content; (2) Elaboration; (3) Student feedback; (4) Navigation; (5) Inquiry; (6) Study pleasure and motivation. Anderson (2003) further describes six modes of interaction in distance education; a comparison between a correspondence and an asynchronous Internet LMS course for each of the six modes of interaction is described in Table 1.
Mode of Interaction
Student - Teacher
Correspondence - Minimal: Initial course navigation and pacing; Major Assignment/Exam feedback. Response time –weeks/months.
Asynchronous LMS - Good: Pacing/elaboration/ navigation /motivation throughout. 24/48 hours response to student inquiry and feedback.
Student - Student
Correspondence- None
Asynchronous LMS - Good: Facilitates asynchronous student discussions and group assignments.
Student- Content
Correspondence- Fundamental: Primary interaction for subject matter learning.
Asynchronous LMS - Excellent: Facilitates comprehensive interaction with printed material, Internet information, videos.
Teacher - Content
Correspondence- Fair: Initial course preparations
Asynchronous LMS - Excellent: Initial course preparation and throughout the course.
Teacher - Teacher
Correspondence- Very Good: Team approach in course pedagogy and preparation
Asynchronous LMS - Good: Team approach in initial course development; Adjunct isolation ongoing.
Content - Content
Correspondence- None
Asynchronous LMS - Excellent: Internet search engines.
Table 1: Comparison of the Mode of Interaction between Correspondence Study and asynchronous LMS study
In correspondence study, after the initial receipt of the course curriculum, reading list (typically all print based text) and course guide, the student studies the material independently. The only interaction the student has with the teacher is from feedback in the final exam and, in some cases, feedback in one or two major assignments during the course. (Bates & Poole, 2003). Courses using LMS technology helps to alleviate the feeling of student isolation as the platform facilitates student-teacher and student-student interaction. Although the interaction is not immediate, taking 24 to 48 hours for a response, is frequent enough to faciltate ongoing interaction in all six functions of interaction in an educational context (Anderson, 2003). In addition, as the LMS platform is on the Internet, it allows both the teacher and student easy interaction with a broad array of educational content on the World Wide Web from within the virtual classroom and to utilize Internet search engines.
Design Approaches of Technology-Based Learning
“All teaching and learning systems should be built on two foundations: the needs of the intended students, and the learning outcomes of the course” (Davis, 2004, p. 98).
“Most students in distance education are adults” (Moore & Kearsley, 2005: p.185) and thus DE course development should be planned and developed in accordance with the principles of adult and independent learning educational pedagogies. (Holdberg, 1995; Moore & Kearsley, 2005). This is especially true for correspondence study where there is little teacher-student interaction (Bates & Poole, 2003). The increased interactive mode of LMS platforms have decreased (although not eliminating) the level of student autonomy and in doing so has started to meet the needs of young adult students.
In terms of achieving the learning outcomes of the course the modes of interaction play an important role in determine if the course design should be a controlled systems approach or an open, intuitive constructionist approach. “A systems approach to instructional design has proved particularly powerful for technology-based teaching” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p. 153). The systems approach is a controlled project management model which carefully designs and considers all aspects of the course: design, production and development, delivery, evaluation, maintenance, student administration and support services. The design and development requires a team approach involving instructional designers, subject matter experts, technology experts and the instructor (Bates & Poole). This controlled approach is essential in a correspondence course where once the initial matter and course guide is sent out there is little opportunity for course correction. In the online LMS approach, a systems approach is still recommended to meet the essential principles for effective course development: clear goals and objectives, good structure, small manageable units, and repetition, feedback and evaluation (Moore & Kearsley, 2005; Holmberg, 1995). However the increased teacher-student interaction provides the instructor with increased flexibility to adjust the course direction to meet the needs of students in a specific class.
Student Support
Moore & Kearsley (2005) maintains that “the learner constitutes the center of the universe, and that teaching no longer drives learning: instead, teaching responds to and supports learning” (p.20). The isolation of DE students has led distance educators to have “a clear understanding that student support services are integral to the overall working of their systems” (Rumble, 2000, p. 233). Although this realization may have been a result of the historically high drop out rate of correspondence courses in the 1960s (Rumble, 2000).
In using a systems approach to course design, student support administration and services are considered. These services include academic support (tutoring, guidance and counseling service, library and feedback), and non-academic support (career counseling, financial services, record keeping, and technical support). Advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have made a significant impact to the feelings of isolation of DE students, students currently using online LMS technologies operate in a significant more interactive service oriented environment. Citing the Levine report, Rumble (2000) states that “all they [students] want is simple procedures, good service, quality courses, and low costs” (p.217). Paradoxically the drive to decrease costs through the use of technology has led to a “dehumanizing experience” (p. 217) and “online learning staff and systems need a lot of support and maintenance” (Davis, 2004, p.102).
Conclusion
The technological advancements that have facilitated the shift from correspondence study to Internet-based learning management systems have resulted in significant improvements in educational interaction, course design and student support. However there are a lot of similarities, the challenge of alleviating student isolation from both an academic and support services although diminishing still remains, and distance communication even in today’s advanced technology environment still does not compare to the social interaction of face-to-face classrooms. However the comparison reminds us of both the rapid advancements in distance education and foresight of educators in adopting ever new technologies to meet the needs of increasing demanding students.
References
Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M. G. Moore & W. G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 129-144). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bates, A.W. (2005). Technology, E-learning and Distance Education 2nd Edition. New York NY: Routledge
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Davis, A. (2004). Developing an infrastructure for online learning In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning (pp 97 – 114). Athabasca University. Retrieved online March 23rd 2008 at http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch4.html,
Hannafin, M.J. (1989). Inter-action strategies and emerging instructional technologies. Canadian Journal of Educational Communication, 18, 167-179.
Holmberg, B. (1995). Theory and practice of distance education (2nd rev. ed.). London/New York: Routledge.
Moore, M., Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A system view 2nd ed. CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Rumble, G. (2000). Student support in distance education in the 21st century: Learning from service management. Distance education, 21(2), 216-235.
Technology selection for UMUC undergraduate Marketing program May 1st 2008
Introduction
The technology challenge set out in the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) mission statement is to provide high quality educational programs and world class services at an affordable cost to students around the world (UMUC, 2008).
The Undergraduate Marketing department offers ten marketing courses that are delivered in three formats (online, face-to-face, and hybrid) in100 classes to over 2800 students per academic year from Maryland, the nation and around the world. Seventy five percent of courses are offered online using UMUC’s proprietary learning management system, WebTycho. Twenty percent of courses are offered in a face-to-face format at campuses throughout Maryland, and five percent of classes are offered in a hybrid mode (half online, half face-to-face). This paper provides an analysis of the appropriateness of these technology choices using the SECTION model developed by Bates and Poole (2003).
Analysis: SECTIONS model
There are a multitude of media options and educational models available to universities. Moore & Kearsley (2005) reviewed a number of studies and concluded that “the best medium and technology varies from student to student” (p. 246). This illustrates the need for variety and flexibility in teaching approaches and media selection, however it is not cost-effective for an educational organization to invest in a variety of platforms. Recognizing the complexity of the selection choice Bates & Poole (2003) developed a systematic decision-making process called the SECTIONS model. The model calls for an assessment of eight categories: Student audience characteristics and the appropriateness of this technology to this group; Easiness and reliability of the technology; Costs to the students and university; Teaching and Learning needs; Interactivity capability; Organizational issues for successful technology implementation; Novelty of the technology; Speed to course implementation.
Students
Bates & Poole (2003) maintain that demographics, access, and how students learn, need to be considered when determining the appropriateness of the technology to a particular group of students.
“Most students in distance education are adults” (Moore & Kearsley, 2005, p.185) and have complex lives balancing their job, family, social lives and education. In the Fall 2007 semester the medium age for students in UMUC’s undergraduate program was 31 years old and eighty percent worked full-time (UMUC, 2008). The implication of these demographics is the requirement for flexibility in both time and place for student interaction.
WebTycho operates on the Internet, where according to Nielson (2004), 75% or 205 million Americans had access to the Internet from their homes in 2004 and thus Internet accessibility for marketing students is fairly well assured. The Maryland students who do not have Internet access can use university campus computing facilities or take face-to-face instruction. In addition WebTycho operate on conventional computing platforms with browsers and software applications.
“The strength of Tycho is its ability to perform on a very wide number of platforms, OSs, desktop configurations, and bandwidth limits. We have students all over the world and many have archaic computers and still connect using analog modems. Tycho works in these environments ……... The application is highly intuitive and the interface is simple by design, at the expense of certain bells and whistles” (Sapp, 2008).
The asynchronous nature of WebTycho is suitable for UMUC’s multi-time zone adult students as it provides the time and place flexibility for them to be effective in their studies. The face-to-face and hybrid classes provide different options to Maryland student whose learning style requires a higher degree of social support, intimacy and immediacy of interaction
Ease of Use and Reliability
UMUC provides an extensive five week training program for new faculty members to ensure their proficiency with both the technology and distance education pedagogy (UMUC, 2008). In addition, prospective students can test drive an online learning session, new students are provided an online orientation session, and there is a comprehensive users guide for all students and faculty. The result of the training and the inherent simplicity of WebTycho is that most faculty and students find the technology easy to use.
Overall the reliability of WebTycho is excellent, it operates on a 24/7 basis and system outages are very infrequent.
Costs
The cost factors in online education are complex but as a general rule they are composed of initial start up cost (equipment, facilities), fixed cost (course development, copyright and intellectual property) and variable costs (instructors, student printing material).“As a general rule, the fixed costs of distance education system are high when compared to traditional education, but the variable costs per student are low” (Rumble, 1997, p. 36). Typically, the lower variable costs of distance education are achieved by using less expensive teaching personal (adjunct faculty instead of tenured staff) and reducing student/instructor contact time (the role of the instructor shifts to being a facilitator/guide as oppose to a lecturer). However, web-based learning does not have the same economies of scale found with either print or broadcasting. In a comparative study of distance education costs, Bates (2005) found that “asynchronous Web-based learning has moderate fixed costs and moderate variable costs” (p.214). Thus, the asynchronous online WebTycho platform offers UMUC with a good balance between higher levels of teacher-student interaction and cost.
Teaching & Learning
Is the Technology Effective for the Learning Needed? The UMUC undergraduate marketing program has a strong tradition of teaching and learning on the WebTycho platform. The general teaching approach of the marketing faculty subscribes to a social constructivist learning style “by which learners ‘construct’ knowledge actively through dialog and discussion” (Bates, 2005, p. 55). The WebTycho platform provides an excellent vehicle for online asynchronous conferences and group projects to help students construct knowledge. In additions there are opportunities for frequent self assessment and instructor feedback.
Interactivity & User-Friendliness
“Most theories of learning suggest that for learning to be effective it needs to be active” (Bates, 2005, p.59) – thus according to this philosophy, there needs to be interaction between student/student and instructor/student. Anderson (2003) maintains “interaction is a complex and multifaceted concept” (p.129), and describes the functions of interaction in an educational context as: (1) pacing of the content; (2) elaboration; (3) student feedback; (4) navigation; (5) inquiry; (6) study pleasure and motivation. The asynchronous WebTycho platform provides a good balance by providing a high level of interaction while providing student flexibility in time and location. The face-to-face and hybrid classes offer a further option to Maryland students who require a higher degree of faculty-student, student-student interaction.
Organizational Issues “Technology-based teaching needs an effective organizational system to make it feasible and practical” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p. 102). UMUC has developed an excellent support and training program for the faculty and students. “Distance educators seem to have a clear understanding that student support services are integral to the overall working of their systems” (Rumble, 2000, p.233). UMUC provides an orientation to Distance Education and WebTycho tour, online technical assistance, library support, and reference assistance, all are available to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week (UMUC, 2008). Marketing students may also communicate with their instructor via an “Ask the Prof” conference in the WebTycho classroom or by e-mail, in addition many marketing professors offer students an open invitation for telephone calls.
Novelty – Using a New Technology?
The online learning environment is still a relatively new educational platform for most adult learners. However, to many marketing students the novelty of the WebTycho platform soon wears off, especially as the program so closely resembles a conventional online message thread. Although this maybe a strength as using conventional technologies make them more accessible and easier to use. In fact, it may be more effective to look at ways of teaching with existing technology rather than risking untested or partly developed new technologies (Bates & Poole, 2003).
Speed – How Fast Can the Course be Available?
The ability to quickly develop and update subject matter content can be critical to technology selection in rapidly changing subjects (Bates & Poole, 2003; Davis, 2004). Many of the core concepts in Marketing are relatively stable although case studies and current examples require constant updates. For new course development, marketing subject matter experts in conjunction with instructional designers develop course modules that cover the basic subject matter concepts plus provide some self-assessment exercises. This process typically takes six months to a year but can be bottle-necked by availability of instructional designer resources. The flexibility of WebTycho enables case studies and current examples to be posted by individual instructors instantly.
Conclusion
The SECTIONS analysis reinforces that the technology selection of WebTycho meets the needs of our busy adult marketing student population and UMUC’s mission of providing high quality educational programs and world class services at an affordable cost to students around the world. However, given the rapid advancements in technology especially in the education and social networking sectors, there could be significant changes in the categories of costs, interactivity capabilities, novelty and speed. Thus perhaps an area that may need to be addressed is organizational issues associated with continuously monitoring and evaluating new technologies in order to remain on the leading edge of the distance education industry.
References
Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M. G. Moore & W. G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 129-144). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bates, A.W. (2005). Technology, E-learning and Distance Education 2nd Edition. New York NY: Routledge
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Davis, A. (2004). Developing an infrastructure for online learning In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning (pp 97 – 114). Athabasca University. Retrieved online March 23rd 2008 at http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch4.html,
Moore, M., Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A system view 2nd ed. CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Neilson (2004). Three out of four Americans have access to the Internet. Neilson News Release. Retrieved April 29th 2008 from the wide world web http://www.netratings.com/pr/pr_040318.pdf
Rumble, G. (2000). Student support in distance education in the 21st century: Learning from service management. Distance Education, 21(2), 216-235.
Sapp, J.R. (2008). WebTycho characteristics.
UMUC (2008). UMUC’s website. Retrieved on April 28th 2008 at http://www.umuc.edu
The technology challenge set out in the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) mission statement is to provide high quality educational programs and world class services at an affordable cost to students around the world (UMUC, 2008).
The Undergraduate Marketing department offers ten marketing courses that are delivered in three formats (online, face-to-face, and hybrid) in100 classes to over 2800 students per academic year from Maryland, the nation and around the world. Seventy five percent of courses are offered online using UMUC’s proprietary learning management system, WebTycho. Twenty percent of courses are offered in a face-to-face format at campuses throughout Maryland, and five percent of classes are offered in a hybrid mode (half online, half face-to-face). This paper provides an analysis of the appropriateness of these technology choices using the SECTION model developed by Bates and Poole (2003).
Analysis: SECTIONS model
There are a multitude of media options and educational models available to universities. Moore & Kearsley (2005) reviewed a number of studies and concluded that “the best medium and technology varies from student to student” (p. 246). This illustrates the need for variety and flexibility in teaching approaches and media selection, however it is not cost-effective for an educational organization to invest in a variety of platforms. Recognizing the complexity of the selection choice Bates & Poole (2003) developed a systematic decision-making process called the SECTIONS model. The model calls for an assessment of eight categories: Student audience characteristics and the appropriateness of this technology to this group; Easiness and reliability of the technology; Costs to the students and university; Teaching and Learning needs; Interactivity capability; Organizational issues for successful technology implementation; Novelty of the technology; Speed to course implementation.
Students
Bates & Poole (2003) maintain that demographics, access, and how students learn, need to be considered when determining the appropriateness of the technology to a particular group of students.
“Most students in distance education are adults” (Moore & Kearsley, 2005, p.185) and have complex lives balancing their job, family, social lives and education. In the Fall 2007 semester the medium age for students in UMUC’s undergraduate program was 31 years old and eighty percent worked full-time (UMUC, 2008). The implication of these demographics is the requirement for flexibility in both time and place for student interaction.
WebTycho operates on the Internet, where according to Nielson (2004), 75% or 205 million Americans had access to the Internet from their homes in 2004 and thus Internet accessibility for marketing students is fairly well assured. The Maryland students who do not have Internet access can use university campus computing facilities or take face-to-face instruction. In addition WebTycho operate on conventional computing platforms with browsers and software applications.
“The strength of Tycho is its ability to perform on a very wide number of platforms, OSs, desktop configurations, and bandwidth limits. We have students all over the world and many have archaic computers and still connect using analog modems. Tycho works in these environments ……... The application is highly intuitive and the interface is simple by design, at the expense of certain bells and whistles” (Sapp, 2008).
The asynchronous nature of WebTycho is suitable for UMUC’s multi-time zone adult students as it provides the time and place flexibility for them to be effective in their studies. The face-to-face and hybrid classes provide different options to Maryland student whose learning style requires a higher degree of social support, intimacy and immediacy of interaction
Ease of Use and Reliability
UMUC provides an extensive five week training program for new faculty members to ensure their proficiency with both the technology and distance education pedagogy (UMUC, 2008). In addition, prospective students can test drive an online learning session, new students are provided an online orientation session, and there is a comprehensive users guide for all students and faculty. The result of the training and the inherent simplicity of WebTycho is that most faculty and students find the technology easy to use.
Overall the reliability of WebTycho is excellent, it operates on a 24/7 basis and system outages are very infrequent.
Costs
The cost factors in online education are complex but as a general rule they are composed of initial start up cost (equipment, facilities), fixed cost (course development, copyright and intellectual property) and variable costs (instructors, student printing material).“As a general rule, the fixed costs of distance education system are high when compared to traditional education, but the variable costs per student are low” (Rumble, 1997, p. 36). Typically, the lower variable costs of distance education are achieved by using less expensive teaching personal (adjunct faculty instead of tenured staff) and reducing student/instructor contact time (the role of the instructor shifts to being a facilitator/guide as oppose to a lecturer). However, web-based learning does not have the same economies of scale found with either print or broadcasting. In a comparative study of distance education costs, Bates (2005) found that “asynchronous Web-based learning has moderate fixed costs and moderate variable costs” (p.214). Thus, the asynchronous online WebTycho platform offers UMUC with a good balance between higher levels of teacher-student interaction and cost.
Teaching & Learning
Is the Technology Effective for the Learning Needed? The UMUC undergraduate marketing program has a strong tradition of teaching and learning on the WebTycho platform. The general teaching approach of the marketing faculty subscribes to a social constructivist learning style “by which learners ‘construct’ knowledge actively through dialog and discussion” (Bates, 2005, p. 55). The WebTycho platform provides an excellent vehicle for online asynchronous conferences and group projects to help students construct knowledge. In additions there are opportunities for frequent self assessment and instructor feedback.
Interactivity & User-Friendliness
“Most theories of learning suggest that for learning to be effective it needs to be active” (Bates, 2005, p.59) – thus according to this philosophy, there needs to be interaction between student/student and instructor/student. Anderson (2003) maintains “interaction is a complex and multifaceted concept” (p.129), and describes the functions of interaction in an educational context as: (1) pacing of the content; (2) elaboration; (3) student feedback; (4) navigation; (5) inquiry; (6) study pleasure and motivation. The asynchronous WebTycho platform provides a good balance by providing a high level of interaction while providing student flexibility in time and location. The face-to-face and hybrid classes offer a further option to Maryland students who require a higher degree of faculty-student, student-student interaction.
Organizational Issues “Technology-based teaching needs an effective organizational system to make it feasible and practical” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p. 102). UMUC has developed an excellent support and training program for the faculty and students. “Distance educators seem to have a clear understanding that student support services are integral to the overall working of their systems” (Rumble, 2000, p.233). UMUC provides an orientation to Distance Education and WebTycho tour, online technical assistance, library support, and reference assistance, all are available to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week (UMUC, 2008). Marketing students may also communicate with their instructor via an “Ask the Prof” conference in the WebTycho classroom or by e-mail, in addition many marketing professors offer students an open invitation for telephone calls.
Novelty – Using a New Technology?
The online learning environment is still a relatively new educational platform for most adult learners. However, to many marketing students the novelty of the WebTycho platform soon wears off, especially as the program so closely resembles a conventional online message thread. Although this maybe a strength as using conventional technologies make them more accessible and easier to use. In fact, it may be more effective to look at ways of teaching with existing technology rather than risking untested or partly developed new technologies (Bates & Poole, 2003).
Speed – How Fast Can the Course be Available?
The ability to quickly develop and update subject matter content can be critical to technology selection in rapidly changing subjects (Bates & Poole, 2003; Davis, 2004). Many of the core concepts in Marketing are relatively stable although case studies and current examples require constant updates. For new course development, marketing subject matter experts in conjunction with instructional designers develop course modules that cover the basic subject matter concepts plus provide some self-assessment exercises. This process typically takes six months to a year but can be bottle-necked by availability of instructional designer resources. The flexibility of WebTycho enables case studies and current examples to be posted by individual instructors instantly.
Conclusion
The SECTIONS analysis reinforces that the technology selection of WebTycho meets the needs of our busy adult marketing student population and UMUC’s mission of providing high quality educational programs and world class services at an affordable cost to students around the world. However, given the rapid advancements in technology especially in the education and social networking sectors, there could be significant changes in the categories of costs, interactivity capabilities, novelty and speed. Thus perhaps an area that may need to be addressed is organizational issues associated with continuously monitoring and evaluating new technologies in order to remain on the leading edge of the distance education industry.
References
Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M. G. Moore & W. G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 129-144). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bates, A.W. (2005). Technology, E-learning and Distance Education 2nd Edition. New York NY: Routledge
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Davis, A. (2004). Developing an infrastructure for online learning In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning (pp 97 – 114). Athabasca University. Retrieved online March 23rd 2008 at http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch4.html,
Moore, M., Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A system view 2nd ed. CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Neilson (2004). Three out of four Americans have access to the Internet. Neilson News Release. Retrieved April 29th 2008 from the wide world web http://www.netratings.com/pr/pr_040318.pdf
Rumble, G. (2000). Student support in distance education in the 21st century: Learning from service management. Distance Education, 21(2), 216-235.
Sapp, J.R. (2008). WebTycho characteristics.
UMUC (2008). UMUC’s website. Retrieved on April 28th 2008 at http://www.umuc.edu
