Engaging the on-line learner

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Engaging the on-line learner

• Andrew Hill
• February 2006

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what wed like to achieve

• Aims of this session Group members to consider
  how to engage learners in on-line courses and be
  aware of the challenges posed in this type of
  e-learning
• Intended outcome A range of ideas for
  activities that might be suitable to meet the key
  phases of engagement in an on-line course.

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are your on-line learners dying of boredom?

• how would you know?
• what can we do about it?

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what is on-line learning?

• learning over the intranet or intranet
• real-time synchronous
• non-real-time asynchronous

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the challenge

• to keep learners engaged whilst youre not
  present
• in a normal session you can monitor reactions
• eye contact
• detect body language
• in synchronous on-line learning this can be
  difficult
• in asynchronous on-line learning its impossible!

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what is engaged learning?

• how do we know when a learner is engaged?
• can we actually engage someone when on-line and
  were not even present?

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the tutors split role

• providing information
• providing guidance

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on-line sources of information

• especially for asynchronous on-line learning as
  not present to provide when required
• recorded presentations
• text books, notes, illustrations
• web-based resources
• libraries
• guest speakers
• other students
• members of the community

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providing guidance

• a challenge when youre not present
• answering questions

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documented study guides

• normal guidance that can be accessed on-line
• course outlines
• module guides
• assignment guides
• activity guides
• orientation and help resources

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learning activities

• the key is that learners DO something
• not just reading content
• include opportunities to interact
• learner to tutor
• learner to learner
• learner to content
• remember clear guidance is required!

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successful interactivity

• Enjoyable and engaging
• Positive and supportive
• Active
• Collaborative
• Contextual

• Differentiates e-learning from self-study
• Allows learners to define and construct knowledge
• Creates a learning community
• Provides practice with feedback
• Stimulates and motivates learners
• Promotes social experiences rather than
  independent ones

Kathleen Iverson E-Learning Games Interactive
Learning Strategies for Digital Delivery, Pearson
Prentice Hall 2005
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4 phases of engagement

• learning the tools
• ice breakers
• team activities
• learner-led activities

Rita Marie Conrad J Ang Donaldson, Engaging the
on-line learner, Jossey-Bass 2004 ISBN
0-7879-6667-3
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other kinds of activities

• reflection activities
• how a learner might transfer learning to their
  job or a task
• authentic activities
• working on real projects or in a realistic
  environment

• games and simulations
• not necessary to use the expensive ones - many
  available now free
• example
• ahi2000.com/studyzone/links2.htm

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engage your on-line learners

• think of an activity for each of the 4 phases
• now, can they be made to work in an on-line class?

tools ice team lled
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acknowledgements

• Rod Corbett, University of Calgarywww.ucalgary.ca
  
• Rita Marie Conrad J Ang Donaldson, Engaging the
  on-line learner, Jossey-Bass 2004 ISBN
  0-7879-6667-3
• Kathleen Iverson E-Learning Games Interactive
  Learning Strategies for Digital Delivery, Pearson
  Prentice Hall 2005
• Greg Kearsley, Theory Into Practice (TIP)
  databasehttp//tip.psychology.org
• On-line Tutoring e-Book, Heriot-Watt University
  and The Robert Gordon University,http//otis.scotc
  it.ac.uk

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Andrew HillE-learning Co-ordinatorLSDAandDunst
able College ahill_at_dunstable.ac.uk01582 477776