Results of research into online learning - voice of practitioners in secondary education in rural MB.

1. Lessons Learned from
Practitioners of Online
Learning
An Exploratory Research Study
Michael
Nantais
Assistant
Professor
Brandon
University
Clark
Gawletz
Graduate
Student
Brandon
University
Marion
Terry,
Ph.D.
Associate
Professor
Brandon
University

2. Purpose of the study:
•
to
inves7gate
technology-­‐based
distance
educa7on
by
exploring
effec7ve
prac7ces
for
course
design,
delivery
and
instruc7on.
•
exploratory,
qualita7ve
study
of
current
prac7ce
&
experience
in
SW
Manitoba
•
focus:
primarily
on
online
courses

3. Data Collection & Analysis:
•
Mee7ng
with
ME
consultants
~
overview
of
online
educa7on
in
MB
•
Interviews
~
6
teachers
(4
schools,
2
divisions)
•
Focus
group
mee7ng
~
8
educators
(teachers,
admin,
ME
consultants)
•
Literature
review
Data
analysis:
analysis
for
common
themes
in
interview
transcripts
&
focus
group
notes

4. Policy
Provincial
Local
The Themes
Infrastructure
SoVware
Technology
Access
Technical
Parental
Support
Administra7ve
Professional
Learning
Time
On-­‐site
Strategies
&
Tools
Instruc7on
&
Design
Communica7on
Flexibility
&
Pacing
Instructor
Characteris7cs
Assessment
Social
Aspects
Learner
Characteris7cs

5. “… no policy, "One of
the most
just a very pivotal
p ositive feeling compone
nts is
for moving the need
for a
division-
forward with wide plan
for deali
online delivery, online iss
ng with
but nothing on ues"
paper.”!
Recommenda>ons:
• clear
and
well-­‐communicated
plans
and
policy
regarding
online
distance
learning
• regional
coordina7on
for
seat
sharing
•
exposure
to
online
learning
in
earlier
grades
(8-­‐9)

6. “Ultimately
y you want a
"If they [ students] tr managemen
t system t
learning
't
to log in a nd they can seamlessly
underneath
hat works
to
get in, w ell, it's hard instruction
, as soon a
the
r not managemen s the
bla me them fo t system g
ets in the
way and yo
submitting u are wond
ts . . . so the it is not w ering why
assignmen f you problems.
orking, you
have
in fr astructure, i So it does
it that . . . is matter wh n't really
want to call ich delivery
system"!
t.”
so importan
Recommenda>ons:
• current,
reliable
infrastructure,
including
speedy
networks
•
technology
requirements
clearly
communicated
lo gy to
students,
soVware
up
to
date
ec hno •
unfiltered
access
to
required
applica7ons
and
T web
sites
•
student
have
access
to
required
hardware/
soVware

7. tech ause
have
have
to
hug e bec
"You rt. It is more
s uppo nothing f the
the re is g than i king, and
ratin sn't wor
f rust ent i
m
e quip e up.” !
kids giv
rt Recommenda>on:
po • provide
reliable,
7mely
tech
support
S up

8. "if everybody b
ds to uys
ll y nee ch into it, the tea
cher,
r e rea y in ea the principal at
"The ebod an eye the
be som o keeps other end, the
ol wh parent,
scho online that kid is goin
on t he The ainly g to be
s . . . cert
stu dent ould ess.” successful” !
ort w succ
supp o ensure
help t
Recommenda>ons:
• inform
parents
&
community,
have
face-­‐to-­‐
face
mee7ng
with
parents
po rt •
school
administrators
and
counselors
be
up
familiar
with
online
learning
S •
provide
onsite
support
for
students
&
liaison
for
teacher

9. "teachers
[a] one -day in- talking to
“
n't ne arly teachers – it's pre
ser vice is important, tty
provide you know
eno ugh to cher to get rid
of some o
,
online tea those fea f
an h to add t rs about
w i th enoug aking on a
the [online]
m uch to course.”!
co urse.”
Recommenda>ons:
rt
• professional
learning
(PL)
a
priority
,
uppo inves7gate
various
avenues
for
PL
S •
establish
online
community
for
online
teachers

10. "I have to cover
[the time less material just
equir ed to because all that
r
online is] interaction just
teach
"at least takes so much
ble”! time.”!
dou
Recommenda>ons:
• recogni7on
for
7me
requirement
by
school
divisions,
e
teachers
made
aware
of
7me
commitment
and
benefits
im
of
online
teaching
T • teachers
should
start
slowly
and
add
features
as
comfort
level
increases
• research
op7mal
class
size
and
implement
into
policy

11. Ins tructi on & Design
Recommenda>ons:
• online
teachers
to
mentor
and
guide
poten7al
distance
delivery
instructors
on
the
strategies
and
web
tools
that
work
well.
A
list,
or
manual,
of
these
strategies
and
tools
could
be
developed
by
the
divisions
to
assist
new
online
teachers
in
course
development.
• online
teachers
con7nue
to
have
a
period
of
7me
each
day
to
answer
queries,
and
to
update
course
informa7on
in
a
synchronous
fashion,
where
feasible
• online
instructors
implement
the
degree
of
flexibility
and
pacing
that
works
best
for
their
own
teaching
styles.
• teachers
make
every
effort
to
address
higher
order
thinking
skills
in
their
courses
and
take
advantage
of
the
features
of
digital
technology.
Balanced
assessment
strategies
should
be
used
to
match
provincial
assessment
strategies
•
online
teachers
provide
7mely
and
meaningful
(descrip7ve,
quality)
feedback
to
students
• online
learning
courses
have
a
communica7on
piece
built
in
to
promote
collegiality
for
the
students
enrolled
in
the
course

12. tell
e to e "I think that
"F or m at th what we can bring
yo u wh est to the kids is
ve ry b s . . . going to change
ce i re
acti t su
education. To me,
pr this is just
I' m n o n d it another way to
fou
I ’ v e t .” enrich what you're
ye delivering to the
kids.”
& Design
Ins tr uction

13. [you need to be]
"more clear with "It's harder to gauge if
they're getting it or not,
instructions . . . and so if you want to
You don't have the know if they're getting it
personal contact. or not you have to ask
It's all by notices them questions. And they
have to respond to them.
and e-mails.” ! And then that all takes so
much longer online.” !
& Design
Ins tr uction

14. "We get
pressure
"if t hey're it should
be a ‘go-
d that
comp etent want’ cou as-you-
move rse, but
eno ugh to d doesn't
work tha
it
ah ead an d for me. S
o I alway
t way
comp lete an t put up su
ggested
s...
n , I jus dates – t d ue
han d it i m t o should b
his is wh
ere you
e
allow th d.” e if you w
ant to
mov e ahea be on tra
ck.”
& Design
Ins tr uction

15. amazing to "how [t
"It was ed respon
he stud
ents]
see how thrill gives y
d to a
forum
o
the k ids were t insight
ou a re
ally go
...
know that maybe
i n to th
e kids
od
s omebody in becaus
you wo
uldn't
that
Boston had looked e you d see
t them t on't as
at th is and sen o d o th
ose kin
k
a of assi
t hem back they'r
gnment ds
no te . . . the
y e in fa s when
ce-to-f
wanted to go back situati
ons.”
ace
!
and d o it again,”
& Design
Ins tru ction

16. "You hav
e to be w
try diffe illing to
"I ge t excited problem
rent thin
gs – be a
solver .
about new somethi . . If
techn ology, and you have
ng doesn
't work,
it
tr y to figure how you
to think
about
can pres
out. I think a differe
nt way o
ent it in
th at's key.” nline.” !
Recommenda>on:
uctor • school
divisions
and
school
administrators
Ins tr iden7fy
the
most
proficient
teachers
and
encourage
these
individuals
to
teach
online
courses.
Further,
divisions
should
support
these
teachers
in
this
endeavor.

17. "those who are self-
“responsible learner,” motivated and they have
“independent,” “good
another reason for
organizational skills,”
learning that subject
“good at planning,”
other than just the
“good communicator,”
“motivated,” “good
credit.”!
readers,” “patient,”
"be willing to ask
“confident with
technology,” and questions too,
“problem solvers” contact me when
they are not
getting something"!
a er Recommenda>on:
of
the
nature
of
online
rn • students
made
aware
Le learning
and
supports
available
to
them

18. Final Comments
Implementa7on
of
online
solu7ons
in
southwestern
Manitoba
is
in
its
infancy;
much
of
the
discussion
centered
on
issues
such
as
technology
and
support
(important
to
be
sure)
and
less
on
pedagogy.
Much
research
remains
to
be
undertaken,
especially
at
the
secondary
level,
in
order
to
ensure
the
successful
implementa7on
of
online
learning.
t hat it
"W e feel ] is a
learning
[online e want
ecessi ty if w .”!
n l open
our schoo

19. ns?
es t io
Q u
nt s?
m e
o m
C

20. Thank you!
nantaism@brandonu.ca
gawletz@brandonu.ca
terrym@brandonu.ca
Presenta(on
and
Full
Research
Report
(pdf)
available
on
the
MADLaT
wiki:
hAp://madlat2010.wikispaces.com/