Lifelong Learning in an Online Environment

1. Lifelong Learning in an Online Environment Undergraduate College Students Develop Lifelong Learning Skills

2. by Sheila Ellenberger Nova Southeastern University ITDE Cluster 7

3. The Setting • Midwestern Liberal Arts College • Rural Setting • 1,500 Undergraduates • Traditionally-aged students • Residential • Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Study • Education, Business & Psychology

4. The Problem • College is slow to move into Information Age • No fully online courses available • No administrative support to license course management tools • Some Faculty using free online course management tools • Little training available

5. First Year Seminar • Academic orientation for incoming students • Instructors disseminate campus information and events • Instructors use common syllabus and assignments • Instructional design lacks intentional emphasis on lifelong learning skills

6. Solution Strategy for FYS • Blackboard as online course management tool • Common assignments built on lifelong learning skills • Information access • Communication • Quantitative reasoning • Higher level thinking

7. Solution Strategy for FYS • Assignments rooted in problem-based learning • Identify and explore theme-relevant topic individually • Teamwork through Blackboard’s BBS • Collaborative development of Webpage posted on Blackboard

8. The Participants • 5 sections of FYS • 61 students • 6 instructors • 7 student mentors

9. Blackboard Training • Instructors • Student mentors • Students • Some by instructors • Some by student mentors

10. Data collection • Blackboard artifacts • Announcements • Asynchronous discussions • Synchronous discussions • Survey: ILLL, LLLS & CLLL* • All first year students (pre-test) • 5 participating groups (post-test) *Interest in Life Long Learning, Life Long Learning Survey, & Capacity for Lifelong Learning

11. Blackboard Results • All 5 groups used Blackboard for: • Announcements • Asynchronous and synchronous discussions • All 6 instructors used Blackboard for: • Posting announcements • Posting assignments • Communicating to the group electronically

12. Pre-Test Results • 304 students from 32 sections • Interest in Lifelong Learning • M=8.25 (10 pt. Scale), SD=1.24 • Topics: • 18% study/learning skills • 13% skills for lifelong learning • 12% lifelong learning topics • 11% communication skills • 11% working with others

13. Pre-Test Results • Capacity for Life Long Learning Index • 11 lifelong learning capabilities • 4 pt. Scale • 6 of 11 means >3.0 • Highest means • Getting along with different types of people • Functioning as a team member • Lowest means • Solving quantitative problems • Understanding recent developments in science and technology

14. Pre-Test Results • Life Long Learning Survey • Students rate skill, interest, motivation and importance for 4 lifelong learning skills • Communication • Highest in skill, interest, motivation, importance • Importance ratings • Information Management • Higher Level Thinking • Quantitative Reasoning

15. Pre-test Results • Concurrent Validity • Correlations between CLLL & LLLS • Significant positive correlations: • From .41 (CLLL & interest) to .49 (CLLL & skill)

16. Post-test Results • 42 subjects from 5 participating sections • 29 matches • No significant differences in: • Interest in lifelong learning • CLLL • LLLS • Possible Causes: • Ceiling Effect • State vs. Trait

17. Roadblocks & Unanticipated Outcomes • Faculty Participation • Delay due to Human Subjects Research Committee • Participation of student mentors • Involvement of student intern • New Programs

18. Questions? Comments? Thank YOU!