Focus
I
believe that one of the most important contributions that a DE instructor can
make to his/her students is the cultivation of a collaborative,
community-building, constructivist learning environment. How do designers and
instructors of online education ensure the success of such an endeavor?
The answer lies in three components: Ground the online course in appropriate
learning theory, design the course in order to facilitate collaborative
discourse, and use appropriate technology to support students as they actively
engage and interact in the distance education system of learning.
Constructivism should be used to promote active learning among students by empowering them to step out of the passive learning role; and to offer a framework to help students become facilitators of learning.
It is important to design online instruction that supports collaborative and cooperative community-based learning by encouraging positive interdependence through group projects, individual accountability, appropriate interpersonal skills, and group self-evaluation.
Learners should know in advance which educational technologies they will need to use and why, as well as know the resources that are available to support them in using these technologies. Appropriate technology should be chosen to support a learning community.
DE instructors should:
Constructivism should be used to promote active learning among students by empowering them to step out of the passive learning role; and to offer a framework to help students become facilitators of learning.
It is important to design online instruction that supports collaborative and cooperative community-based learning by encouraging positive interdependence through group projects, individual accountability, appropriate interpersonal skills, and group self-evaluation.
Learners should know in advance which educational technologies they will need to use and why, as well as know the resources that are available to support them in using these technologies. Appropriate technology should be chosen to support a learning community.
DE instructors should:
- Foster interaction through creative
methods of engagement between students and students; students and instructors;
and students and learning materials.
- Maintain enthusiasm, organization and – SO IMPORTANTLY – be present!!!
- Provide the all important constructive feedback to the student as soon as possible
Case Study Subject: Energy University
Energy
University is a program of
learning which encompasses courses of segment knowledge from the various
business units within Schneider Electric. The objective is to provide online learning to
help users develop solutions for energy efficiency and conservation that deliver a return on investment, reduce
capital costs, and reduce delivery time. Its courses are product agnostic and theory based, and the curriculum will
ultimately culminate with formal certification exams.
The current courses are created using Adobe Presenter and Microsoft Powerpoint. They utilize an asynchronous, passive learning approach; they are self-paced and available online via a learning portal that is supported by
Global Knowledge, an external IT and business skills training company. The LMS
is an Oracle based iLearning platform that supports the posting and tracking of
content and user activity. Standard
reporting allows for easy extraction of information at any time in an excel
format. The LMS
is a globally sourced environment, so users from around the world can gain
access to this learning.
Energy University learners currently only interact with learning content. They do not interact with a facilitator or other learners.
What would happen if Energy University added a new dimension to their offerings, where learners and facilitator could interact in a collaborative learning community? This research project seeks to answer that question. I hypothesize that when Energy University learners engage in active learning, in a collaborative learning community, there will be an increase in learning transfer (illustrated by positive test scores) and an increase in learner satisfaction (illustrated by survey results and follow up interviews).
The
dynamic business climate of today’s corporations should only be matched by its
commitment to educating its workforce. In a global, constantly developing,
competitive business environment, many companies choose eLearning as a method
of informing their employees. eLearning offers many benefits; companies can
quickly train many employees, across the globe, without the high costs
associated with travel. Many corporations utilize a fundamental, self-paced,
one-way eLearning model, where learners interact only with learning content. The
research indicates that learners do well in a community-centered learning
environment. The use of a supportive facilitator and engaging activities
provides an additional level of learner support, which can lead to improved
retention of learning content, and higher learner satisfaction. This paper showcases
one company’s current eLearning model and seeks to improve it through the use
of a constructivist approach to online learning.
The Opportunity for Community-Centered Online Learning in a Corporate Environment | |
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