1) The document examines facilitating behaviors in online learning based on the Ohio State leadership theory of consideration and initiation of structure. 2) A facilitating behavior system with two levels and 45 behaviors was developed and applied in a case study of an online teacher training program. Most behaviors occurred and the system proved adaptive. 3) Quantitative analysis found the leadership theory applicable to online facilitation. Behaviors correlated with learner satisfaction but not participation or scores. Initiation of structure behaviors best predicted satisfaction.

1. Towards Effective Online Facilitation
-- The Effect of Facilitator's Leadership
Behaviors on Online Learning
Bodong Chen, OISE/University of Toronto
Qiong Wang, GSE/Peking University
Ed-Media 2010, Toronto
June 30, 2010

2. Background
• Online education is still booming!
• Instructional interaction and support are vital for the success of
online education.
• Instructional relationship and the role of instructor have evolved.
• Online education in China
– Flourish quickly into a massive scale since 1998 (Wang & Zhang, 2005)
– Practical problems and misunderstandings with pedagogies, administrations
and technologies (Zhang, 2005; Wang, 2007)
– Overlook instructional support and interaction.

3. Context and our practice
Timeline and Background of National Teacher’s Educational
Technology Ability Middle-level Distance Training
National Teacher’s (f2f) Finished developing
Training launched Online Training course
of Middle Level – with
new design and
Launched the Online training model. Till the end of 2009,
Training course of
finished training of 8
"Educational Beginner Level National Test of classes with around
Technology Ability developed by Peking Educational Technology 1500 teachers
Standards (trial University (NTET) for teachers
edition)" launched
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Collected and analyzed
Educational Technology evaluation data of the
Training Textbook first two classes
(Beginner Level) Educational Technology
The second class in
Capacity Building on Training Textbook
Shandong province
Educational Technology (Middle Level)
Launched the first
for Primary &
online middle-level
Secondary School Middle level training training class in
Teachers Across China launched, with both Shenzhen
(TETA): Teacher face-to-face and
Training + Testing distance modes

4. Development Training Model
presented on the 13th APEID International Conference by Qiong Wang, 2009
Development Training Course Traditional Training Course
Course designers, trainers and Curriculum is predefined, and
trainees are all contributors to materials are developed by
training. course designers.
Trainees’ discourse and Discussion and assignments are
assignment inputs are regarded as just for exercise and assessment.
an integral part of training.
Course content is dynamic and Course content is static.
keeps developing during training.
Contribution of a class will be
brought to other classes in latter No explicit mechanism for
training. knowledge accumulation.

6. Authentic Issues
• How to build a facilitation team that could
provide best support for this training?
• How to help facilitators get prepared?
• How to improve online learning by improving
facilitators’ performance?

7. Facilitating online learning
• Change of the role of online instructors
Role Type Role of instructors Role of students
Traditional role in F2F Manager, expert, controller, Listener, receptor, novice,
classrooms information transmitter, goal passive learner, learning
maker, time handler. depending on instructor’s
evaluation.
Supportive role in online Resources, participant, Problem solver, explorer,
setting scaffold constructor, learner, researcher, collaborator, goal
host, facilitator, coach, monitor, maker, host, facilitator,
mentor. scaffold builder, participant.
Figure adapted from Dabbagh, N., & Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). Online learning: concepts, strategies,
and application. Pearson Prentis Hall: New Jersey.

8. Some research about online facilitator
• Capacities and competencies
– Thach and Murphy (1995): Competencies for distance education
professionals
– Chen (2004): Capacities of tutors in distance education
• Facilitating process
– Youngblood, et al. (2001): 4 themes and 12 facilitator tasks
– Gilly Salmon (2000): 5 stage model of e-moderation
• Strategies and techniques
– Collison, et al. (2000): Facilitating online learning: Effective strategies for
moderators
– Hanna, et al. (2000): 147 practical tips for teaching online groups

9. • Are they effective?
• A need for richer theory and models (Wise, Chang, Duffy,
& Valle, 2004).
Behavioral leadership theory
• Ohio State Leadership Studies
– Consideration: behavior indicative of friendship, mutual
trust, respect, and warmth in relationship between the leader
and members of the group.
– Initiation of Structure: the leader’s behavior in delineating
the relationship between himself and the members of his
group, and in endeavoring to establish well-defined patterns of
organization, channels of communication, and ways of getting
the job done.

10. Methods
• Participants
– 157 learners and 7 facilitators in two teacher training classes
• Procedure
– Literature study and integration: extract facilitating behaviors
from literatures, and integrate them into a behavior system
based on the Ohio State Leadership Studies.
– Case study: online observation and document analysis to
evaluate adaptivity, applicability and inclusiveness of
established behaviour system, and revise system accordingly.
– Survey and quantitative analysis: examine the effectiveness
and theoretical validity of revised facilitating behavior system.

11. Facilitating Behavior System
Summary
First level 2
Second level 10
Behaviors 66 (revised to 45 later)
Initiation of Structure (F_IS) Consideration (F_C)
f1. Have the basic competencies of f7. Cultivate a favorable learning
facilitators in online learning environment
f2. Guide discussion and spur critical f8. Have a good impression
thinking with personal opinions
f3. Construct scaffolds for deep learning f9. Have good interpersonal skills and use
multiple communication techniques
f4. Help learners improve ideas f10. Reward learners
f5. Uncover key points of concepts and
relationships between ideas
f6. Send instructional reminders and keep
learners in track

12. What happened? A training case
Adapt to online training
Shift of difficulties and concerns
Dropping out …
Server was attacked
Recovered and finished smoothly
Day 1 3 7 14 24 50

13. Did facilitating behaviors happen?
• Most behaviors happened
– The behavior system was proven to be quite inclusive and
adaptive in the case study.
– 80% of 45 behaviors was labelled as “Always”
– Frequencies of behaviors reported by learners varied
– Difference between Consideration and Initiation of Structure

14. Quantitative analysis model
Are behaviors in the system
possibly effective in
promoting online learning?
Behavior system
(1) Partial correlation Outcome variables
First level Learner satisfaction
Second level Learner participation
Behaviors Moderating variables Training scores
Learning purpose
Learning expectation
Trust for facilitators
Can behavior categories
distinguish from each other?
(2) Factor analysis Is the Ohio State leadership
theory applicable to online
facilitation behaviors?

15. Is the leadership theory applicable to
online facilitation?
Table 2 Rotated Factor Matrix
• Factor analysis Component
– Two factors can explain most (74%) 1 2
variance. f1 .785(**) .389
f2 .878(**) .290
– They can be significantly related to f3 .833(**) .188
Consideration and Initiation of f4 .862(*) .271
f5 .333
Structure behaviors respectively. .824(*)
f6 .841(**) .384
Table 1 Total Variance Explained f7 .491 .724(**)
f8 .199 .894(*)
Component Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums f9 Squared Loadings
of .239 .643(*)
% of Cumulative f10 of
% .250
Cumulative .702(*)
Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 6.291 62.907 62.907 4.610 46.102 46.102
2 1.153 11.530 74.437 2.833 28.335 74.437

16. Are behaviors in the system effective in
promoting online learning?
Table 3 Bivariate correlation
• Bivariate correlation Behavior Learner Learner Training
analysis categories Satisfaction Participation Scores
f1 .329(**) .172 .125
– Significantly correlated f2 .287(**) .165 .041
with learner satisfaction f3 .404(**) .091 .007
– but not with learner f4 .359(**) .043 .070
f5 .431(**) .049 .026
participation and
f6 .360(**) .039 .010
training scores. f7 .298(**) .043 -.001
f8 .339(**) .128 .131
f9 .263(**) .068 -.145
f10 .301(**) .076 -.037
F_IS .433(**) .091 .052
F_C .368(**) .086 -.056
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

17. Are behaviors in the system effective in
promoting online learning?
Table 4 Partial correlation between behavior categories and outcome variables
• Partial correlation Control Behavior Learner Learner Training
Variables Categories Satisfaction Participation Scores
– With learners’ p2 & p3 & f1 .207(*) .179 .014
training purpose, e2 & e3 & f2 .216(*) .093 -.010
expectation and trust trust1 & f3 .269(**) .023 -.111
trust2 f4 .233(*) .005 .045
for facilitators f5 .324(**) -.005 -.065
controlled. f6 .235(**) -.007 -.087
f7 .088 .044 -.044
– Only Initiation of f8 .166 .181(*) .117
Structure is f9 .156 .066 -.140
significantly f10 .095 .016 -.084
F_IS .317(**) .054 -.050
correlated with F_C .179 .087 -.101
learner satisfaction.

18. Conclusion
• The behavioral leadership theory is appropriate for the study of
online facilitation.
• However, the facilitating behaviors mainly take effect on learning
satisfaction, but have little influence on engagement and
perceived learning.
• The partial correlation analysis yield a significant correlation
between Initiation of Structure behaviors and satisfaction, while
the correlation between Consideration behaviors and all outcome
variables are not significant.
• Further experimental studies need to be done.

19. Bodong Chen
bodong.chen@utoronto.ca
Twitter: bodongchen (twitter.com)