Everything Changes... including brains and technology

 

I've had the opportunity to be a part of multiple online learning situations from formal courses through my current program, my master's degree in 2005-7 which was fully asynchronous (and included a now defunct correspondence course component), and as a facilitator through several trainings in my current field, as an online writing tutor, etc.  I've participated in MOOCs, and even considered trying my hand at the huge VIP Kid English Language learning craze a few years back.  That being said, I've seen good teaching strategies, and I've seen not so good teaching strategies.  

 

Our brains keep growing and changing throughout our lives (Boettcher & Conrad, 2016, p. 25) and so does technology.  Because of this, online instructors need to be aware that the skills needed for online teaching are different than those required for face-to-face instruction (Bryans-Bongey & Graziano, 2016, p. 25).  While best practices of instruction remain similar when it comes to strong communication skills and setting expectations for students, online educators are unable to have the advantage of observation of body language that face to face instructors have.  A larger emphasis is also placed on modelling lessons for students.  Khoo and Bonk feel that modelling is required for student success (2022, p. 107).  

 

Like face to face learning, ensuring students feel safe in an environment, they are in a position to learn.  Khoo and Bonk claim, "when people feel valued, respected, and understood, they also feel safe to explore and free to continue to grow," (2022, p. 109).  This is a best practice for online learning especially as instructors have limited opportunities to see if a student is struggling. 

 

One benefit of online instruction is that instructors and students can do things that face to face learning doesn't allow.  Personalized instruction is easier as students are taking responsibility for their own learning paths and have greater access to digital content than they do in a face to face setting, and the resources are more flexible as well (Bryans-Bongey & Graziano, 2016, p. 26, Boettcher & Conrad, 2016, p 9).  Active engagement is required of learners because of the course design in most cases, which can be beneficial to student learning (Boettcher & Conrad, 2016, p. 8).  

 

A challenge of online instruction and learning can be motivation for both teachers and instructors.  Online learning requires time management skills as well as motivation to stay on task and complete work (Bryans-Bongey & Graziano, 2016, p. 30).  Instructors do have the ability to customize content (Bryans-Bongey & Graziano, 2016, p. 28).  However, this can be intimidating for some, and the shift from lecturer to a facilitator role can be challenging, but necessary (Boettcher & Conrad, 2016, p. 8).   

 

I'm very interested in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it can be used to encourage student learning.  I agree with Khoo and Bonk that technology encourages creativity (2022, p. 131), however they did note that instructors are fearful of online instruction because of plagiarism (p. 80).  With online technology changing, so are the tools to check for plagiarism, and I feel that encouraging students to use and understand how tools can be used to foster ideas and as jumping off points, instructors will address their concerns in a positive manner.  By incorporating AI into the assignment or research process, students can recognize strengths and weaknesses in their arguments, and even receive early feedback on ideas prior to an instructor responding.  However, it is important to note that the role of a facilitator will

 

I did find a discrepancy in the philosophies of some of the authors of the articles I read - Khoo & Bonk claim that some studies show that online students are not as successful as face to face students (2022, p. 71).  This is unclear if they are referring to course completion or content mastery.  Bryans-Bongey & Graziano claim that there is no difference in student learning based on delivery method (2016).  Clearly these are based on two specific studies at two different times, but the difference of opinion here is relevant to the conversation and contributes to the reluctance of some instructors in attitude toward moving to an online space. 

 

Overall, the access that online instruction allows far outweighs the negatives that can be perceived, but pre-service teachers need adequate training as the design and execution cannot be the same as face to face instruction. Online learning will continue to rise in popularity as people seek access or have alternative learning styles and needs.  It is likely that in the next few years, teachers entering the workforce will have had some experience with online learning as a student as well. This should help with the extreme learning curve related to online instruction, but also may bring to light some shortcomings in our teacher education programs. 

 

References

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2016). The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips, 2^nd ed. 

Bryans-Bongey, S., & Graziano, K. J. (2016). Online teaching in K-12: Models, methods, and best practices for teachers and administrators. Information today.

Khoo, E., & Bonk, C. (2022). Motivating and Supporting Online Learners. Commonwealth of learning.