Online Learning… Yay or Nay?

Hello, it’s been way too long since my last entry! I was away last class due to a family commitment, however, I did manage to read through the Week 8: Distributed Learning slide deck to make sure I was up to date. Since I wasn’t in class to participate in the discussions, I took some time to answer a few of the questions from the slides. 

Starting with the Pros and Cons of Learning Online Discussion…

I took the opportunity to generate a cool 3D graphic on PowerPoint that illustrates my experience with online learning during my undergraduate program.

My last year at MRU was all online learning with a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous courses. I personally found that the synchronous classes were my preferred method of online learning because they mimicked the experience of in-person learning. The consistent class times that were mandatory made it feel more normal and helped me to be accountable to my learning. The classes that were asynchronous, while allowing significant flexibility for learning content on our own preferred schedules, also challenged me to stay on schedule with the course. I felt that without the regular meeting times and engaging in conversations over Zoom with my instructors, I fell behind in those classes and generally enjoyed them less. 

I also watched the Digital Learning Environments video from Research Shorts. It was a really quick and easy watch to learn about learning management systems and the four foundational elements that need to be considered when designing a digital learning environment.

The first component is the organizational structure. This refers to how an online environment is set-up to allow users to interact with each other, the  ways in which it can be used to teach, and how learning can happen. According to this video, there are three ways that digital learning environments are organized: 

1. Groups: formal and hierarchical entities, hosted by learning management systems (i.e. online university course).
2. Networks: fluid structures with minimal boundaries (i.e. LinkedIn page)
3. Communities: people show mutual interest, commitment, coherence and continuity.

The second component is design, and how to build an effective learning experience. Digital learning environments should be learner focussed so that everything that is done in this learning space is geared towards creating a meaningful learning opportunity for the student/individual.  

The third component to consider is guided vs. unguided instruction. This relates to how much an instructor is involved in the learning experience, as well as the opportunities available to use peer support. Overall, this concept addresses self-directed learning and teacher-led learning and making sure to create these online learning experiences as beneficial as possible through the instructional methods chosen. 

The final component to  keep in mind is the neutrality of the technology being used. Some digital learning environments afford opportunities for interaction that others do not. For instance, the video uses the example of students being unable to create discussion threads, their learning experience is impacted. Instructors must therefore select technology that is built for teaching and learning that has specific design features that allow students to interact and generate engagement.