Instructional Design for Online Learning: Strategies for Reducing Apparent Distance

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Instructional Design for Online Learning
Strategies for Reducing Apparent Distance

• Gregory C. Sales, Ph.D.
• President and CEO
• Seward Incorporated
• gsales_at_sewardinc.com

• Use the concept and variables of apparent
  distance when developing courses
• Apply five techniques to create a sense of close
  apparent distance without dramatically
  increasing design and facilitation effort

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Presentation Parameters

• Our focus is on understanding apparent distance
  as it relates to online instruction
• Online instruction refers to a Web-delivered
  format allowing for two-way communication
• Faculty refers to online teachers, tutors, and
  support staff
• Participation is required have a paper and
  pencil handy for use

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Who was YOUR Favorite?

• Take a minute to reflect on a really good
  teacher/trainer/instructor for a course you were
  in.
• List a couple of examples of their exceptional
  teaching.
• List a couple of words that describe this person
  (as a teacher).

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Exceptional Teaching

• Gave assignments that used teams so that we could
  share the workload and learn from each other.
• Presented content in fun and interesting ways
  that made learning enjoyable.
• Made the course requirements clear and measured
  our progress against them.
• Acknowledged my effort.

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Characteristics of a Good Teacher

• Knowledgeable
• Caring
• Available/Accessible
• Supportive
• Friendly
• Lifelong learner

• Hard working
• Pleasant
• Inspirational
• Approachable
• Trusted
• Energetic

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What Does This Mean to You?

• She seems a bit distant.

Were quite close.
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Distant

• Arrogant
• Ceremonious
• Cold
• Formal
• Haughty
• Laid back
• Remote
• Reserved
• Restrained

• Reticent
• Solitary
• Standoffish
• Stuck up
• Unapproachable
• Unconcerned
• Unfriendly
• Unsociable
• Withdrawn

Source http//thesaurus.reference.com/
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Close

• Attached
• Adjacent
• Confidential
• Convenient
• Dear
• Devoted
• Familiar
• Handy

• Inseparable
• Immediate
• Imminent
• Near-at-hand
• Nearby
• Neighboring
• Tight with
• Warm

Source http//thesaurus.reference.com/
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Apparent Distance

• - the perception of ones relationship to others
  engaged in, or managing, an activity.
• Related terms include
• emotional closeness
• emotional distance
• emotional geography
• online community
• learning community

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Close Apparent Distance

• - the perception of being part of something
  being a known and valued participant in a course,
  program, or organization.

Stages being known, being valued, being inspired
How can you accomplish this .
without overburdening yourselves?
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Variables

• In distance learning environments apparent
  distance is most influenced by the communication
  patterns in a course, specifically
• frequency
• immediacy, and
• personalization.

The competencies of those associated with a
specific course will determine how each of these
variables can be addressed.
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Competency Model
Sales, G. C.(in press). Developing Online
Faculty Competencies. In P. L. Rogers (Ed.) The
Encyclopedia of Distance Learning, Teaching and
Technology Applications. Information Science
Publishing Hershey PA (an imprint of Idea Group
Inc.)
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Techniques

• Introductions
• Post bios
• Have a class photo gallery
• Face-to-face meetings
• Video/audio conferencing
• Synchronous classes or chats
• Use communication channels
• Instant messaging
• E-mail
• Phone/fax
• e-cards
• Post Student of the Week
• Award gold stars

• Require collaboration
• Promote group identities
• Use collaborative learner techniques for
  assignments and scoring
• Send out timely and constructive feedback
• Refer students to articles and links related to
  their interests
• Encourage students to become involved in related
  activities
• Conferences
• Community events

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STORCS Model

• Simplicity easy to use
• Trialability can be tried out in advance
• Observability success will be obvious
• Relative Advantage better than other options
• Compatibility consistent with your values
• Support facilities, administrative and
  political

Wilson, B., Sherry, L., Dobrovolny, J., Batty,
M., Ryder, M. (2001). Adoption of learning
technologies in schools and universities. In H.
H. Adelsberger, B. Collis, J. M. Pawlowski
(Eds.), Handbook on information technologies for
education training. New York Springer-Verlag.
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Berges Four Rolesof the Online Facilitator

• 1. Pedagogical (intellectual task)
• 2. Social
• Creating a friendly, social environment in which
  learning is promoted is also essential for
  successful moderating. This suggests "promoting
  human relationships, developing group
  cohesiveness, maintaining the group as a unit,
  and in other ways helping members to work
  together in a mutual cause," are all critical to
  success of any conferencing activities.
• 3. Managerial
• 4. Technical

The Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator by
Zane L. Berge, Ph.D. http//www.ctl.mnscu.edu/itea
ch/tutAssets/22R1_Role.pdf
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What will we call ourselves?
Gilly Salmon has gathered answers to this
question from online instructors all over the
world. Her findings include

• E-moderator
• Online negotiator
• Online host
• Personal learning trainer
• Convener
• Online conductor
• Online concierge
• Online manager
• E-Police
• Online Chair

• Online leader
• E-teacher
• E-Master
• Faceless Facilitator
• Tele-coach or tele-tutor
• Online Gardener
• E-Ringmaster
• Online priest
• Agent Provocateur
• Devils advocate

Salmon, G. (2000). E-Moderating The Key to
Teaching and Learning Online. London Taylor
Francis.
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Who Is Karen?
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Tutor

• The tutor for the Master Gardener Core Course is
  Karen Jeannette. Karen is a graduate student in
  the Department of Horticultural Science. Karen is
  working on her Masters degree in Horticultural
  Science. Her thesis project focuses on evaluating
  teaching classes online (particularly the Master
  Gardener course) versus conventional methods. Her
  main goal is to use her Masters degree to be
  involved in Horticultural education in the
  future.

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Brain Storm
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Meet Karen
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What is the Message?
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Question 1
The FIRST thing you should do to figure out the
order of events in the class is to

• Contact the course tutor
• Go to the Course Calendar
• Send an email via the mailing list asking what is
  next

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Brain Storm
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Is this better?
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Encourage Participation

• How to survive this course
• LOG IN OFTEN and PARTICIPATE! I will be
  monitoring the discussions and emails and
  throwing out questions from time to time. But I
  also expect to see you using the asynchronous
  discussion area for questions and comments to
  your classmates. When I toss out a question,
  please respond to everyone, not just me. I also
  encourage you to respond directly to each other.
  Let's make a strong community on-line. I do take
  off points for not participating in discussions
  (as you already know) so your final score might
  be slightly lower than your point total. Yup, I
  have to be ruthless here folks. Non-participation
  is like not coming to class but just doing the
  assignments. Heck, that's correspondence, not
  interactive learning!

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Questions

• Topics covered
• The concept of apparent distance
• Variables that influence learners perceptions
• Strategies to promote close apparent distance

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ThankYou