Learning via Web-based Distance Education

1. Learning via Web-based Distance Education Noriko Hara & Rob Kling Center for Social Informatics Indiana University, Bloomington nhara@indiana.edu; kling@indiana.edu http://www.slis.indiana.edu/CSI October 29, 1999

2. History of the Study • Interested in students’ experience in a Web-based DE course • Ethnographic study • Collaboration with an instructor who taught B555 in Fall, 1997

3. The Course (B555) • Graduate level course in language education • Entire course was web-based • Course designed during Summer ‘97 • 6 students were enrolled — one student at a distance (2 students at a distance dropped after the 1st week)

4. Instructor • A Ph.D. candidate in language education • Knowledgeable about the course content • A part of the Web course design team • Had prior face-to-face teaching experience

5. Media • World-Wide Web • Class Listserv • E-mail • 1 “trip” to SchMOOze University

6. General Question • What are students’ experiences of taking a Web-based distance education course?

7. Description of the Study • Methodology • Data Collection • observation, interview, document analysis • Data analysis • categorizing, looking for patterns and inconsistencies • member checking, triangulation • Ethics • Informed consent; Pseudonyms

8. Assertion • In B555, students felt major frustrations • These frustrations were so overwhelming that some students would not take another DE course

9. Assertion (cont.) • Surprise! Small face-to-face elective graduate courses usually have higher satisfaction level, yet despite the small class size, the students in B555 felt high level of frustration

10. Inexperienced & Expectations Amy’s interview: “At SchMOOze University, I got lost. Before this event, I had to set up software, some special software for MOO on a computer. So, I downloaded it and set it up. I checked if I could go to the meeting room before the class activity time. Then I went there successfully and thought everything was fine. But, when I went there to see classmates at the meeting time, I got lost. I could see their on-line conversation, but they couldn’t see my messages. So, I called Sheryl and she taught me how to use commands and so on.

11. Inexperienced & Expectations (cont.) I just forgot to put parentheses when I typed. That’s why the classmates couldn’t see my messages. I talked to other people from different places at SchMOOze University, but not with my classmates. I was so frustrated because everyone else could do it, but why not me. Not only for the SchMOOze University activity, but I put in lots of time for this course overall, but I couldn’t see the results.”

12. Issues of Feedback John pointed out a message from the instructor, “I agree with her, but I’m not sure if I should send a message saying, ‘I agree.’ That’s the problem with this e-mail. If this is the classroom, you can just nod your head to show your agreement. I’m not always sure if I am contributing enough or not. Other people, like Julie and Kathy, are really active. I feel a sense of competitiveness. So, my survival skill is not to respond. In fact, I haven’t gotten any feedback about my contribution. I cannot tell from the e-mail. You can tell from the classroom what the professor think about you, like from the body language and the way they talk. So, I’m not feeling that I’m getting enough assessment.

13. Reduced Social Cues Kathy’s interview: “The instructor has been good about responding immediately when you ask something. However, I have been in school in my life and I didn’t realize how much I relied on my knowledge of what teachers are looking for, you know. You sit in a classroom with somebody and you analyze who they are and what they like. And you cannot analyze [online] because you’ve never seen them. So, you are only guessing it what teacher really wants.”

14. Students’ Reactions after Taking the Course • Two students claimed that they will not take distance education courses again to avoid frustrations • One student was inspired by this course and continued to take a technology-related course

15. Discussion • The CMC communication channel amplified the frustrations among students: • Lack of simultaneous feedback — it requires efforts to create effective social presence • Disrupted turn adjacency (Herring, 1999)

16. Understated Topics • Hard to find Computer-Mediated DE research & practitioner literature which examines: • Students' frustration in CMDE • The needs for development of social communication process on CMC for students & faculty

17. Clearing things up revealing confusion clarifying indicating alternatives testing for agreement identifying areas of disagreement suggesting an integrative agreement or compromise Social & emotional work relieving group tension encouraging expressing feelings agreeing with another participant's comment, question, feeling Tips for Facilitating Social Communication Process (Charles Huff, St. Olaf College)

18. Directing traffic bringing up a new topic setting standards pointing out prejudiced, narrow-minded, or simplistic arguments gatekeeping (helping someone else in or out of the discussion) Asking for things asking for clarification raising new questions paraphrasing another's statement to test for understanding seeking information from other participants seeking opinion from other participants Tips for Facilitating Social Communication Process (Charles Huff, St. Olaf College )

19. Conclusion • Need more student-centered studies of CMDE • Need balanced views of CMDE: Potential of CMDE vs. Actual efforts required to run CMDE Working Paper is available at: http://www.slis.indiana.edu/CSI/wp99_01.html

20. Considerations • What is the appropriate training for the 1st time teaching online? • How can “we” best inform students & instructors about appropriate expectations and social communication process in CMDE? • What kinds of institutional supports should be provided to both students & instructors?

21. Biographical Notes • Noriko Hara • research associate in Instructional Systems Technology Department at Indiana University • http://php.indiana.edu/~nhara • Rob Kling • professor of Information Science and Information Systems at Indiana University • http://www.slis.indiana.edu/kling