Blended Web Learning: Advantages, Disadvantages, Issues, and Considerations

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Blended Web Learning Advantages, Disadvantages,
Issues, and Considerations

• Curt Bonk, Indiana University and ARI Senior
  Research Fellow
• Tatana Olson, Purdue University and Army Research
  Institute
• Bob Wisher, Army Research Institute
• Kara Orvis, George Mason University and Army
  Research Institute

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e-Learning wants you,but . . . do you want
e-Learning?
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National Guard
Providing access to e-learning to 350,000
soldiers in more than 3,360 communities
Ft. Richardson
Tacoma
Helena
Bismark
St. Paul
Augusta
Madison
Salem
Colchester
Latham
Rapid City
Cheyenne
Lansing
Concord
Boise
Reading
Trenton
Providence
Indianapolis
Johnston
Hartford
Lincoln
Indiantown Gap
GuardNet XXI Network
Wilmington
Springfield
Columbus
Draper
Englewood
DC
Carson City
Arlington
Frankfort
Charleston
Topeka
Sacramento
Jefferson City
Richmond
Santa Fe
Oklahoma City
Raleigh
Nashville
Phoenix
Little Rock
Atlanta
Columbia
Montgomery
Jackson
Austin
St. Augustine
New Orleans
Kingshill,
USVI
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National Guard - Classroom Fielding
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Blended Learning Advantages

1. Course access at ones convenience and flexible
   completion
2. Reduction in physical class time
3. Promotes independent learning
4. Multiple ways to accomplish course objectives
5. Increased opportunities for human interaction,
   communication, contact among students
6. Less time commuting and parking
7. Introverts participate more

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Blended Learning Disadvantages

1. Procrastination, procrastination, procrastination
2. Students have trouble managing time
3. Problems with technology at the beginning (try
   too much)
4. Can be overwhelming or too novel
5. Poor integration or planning
6. Resistance to change
7. Good ideas but lack of time, money, support

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Some Blended Learning Results
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Higher Education Student survey results after a
hybrid course

• Student feedback N282
• 69 felt they could control the pace of their own
  learning
• 77 felt they could organize their time better
• 16 felt the time spent online would have been
  better spent in class
• 61 felt there should be more courses like this
• www.uwsa.edu.ttt/articles/garnham.htm

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Corp. Success Story 1. Infusing E-Learning
Elliott Masie, March 2002, e-learning Magazine)

• A manufacturing company transformed a week-long
  safety program into a three-part offering
• 1. One day in classroom
• 2. Multiple online simulations and lessons.
• 3. One final day of discussions and exams.
• Must accomplish online work before phase 3
• this raised success rate, transfer of skills,
  and lowered hours away from the job.

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Success Story 2. Ratheon, Build Own LMS (John
Hartnett, Online Learning, Summer 2002)

• SAP Training Choice (saved 252,000)
• Cost of Instructor-led Training (388,000).
• Vendor LMS Cost (390,000) or
• Cost to Build Internally (136,000) or
• Five Training Components in 18 Weeks (within 6
  weeks, 4,000 courses were taken by 1,400
  students)
• 1. Role-based simulations
• 2. Audio walk-throughs
• 3. Online quick reference system
• 4. Live training support (special learning
  labstry out with live mentor or instructor)
• 5. Online enrollment and tracking

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Success 3 Microsoft Excel Training(Jeff
Barbian, Blended Works, Summer 2002, Online
Learning)

• Group One 5 scenario-based exercises that
  offered live use of Excel on real-world tasks,
  online mentors, FAQs, relevant Web sites, NETg
  Excel Fundamentals Learning Objects.
• Group Two Same as Group One but without
  scenarios, but info in 5 scenarios were embedded
  in the learning objects.
• Group Three No training control.
• Grp 1 30 more accurate than Grp 2 Grp 2 159
  more accurate than Grp 3

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Success 4 Sallie Mae/USA Group (Blended student
loan provider program)(Jeff Barbian, Blended
Works, Summer 2002, Online Learning)

• LEAD (Leadership and Education Development)
  Groom internal staff to fill supervisory-level
  positions
• 4 hours/week in class with internal and external
  instructors learn trust, role of managers, etc.
• First must complete 3 online management courses
  from SkillSoft and 6 online project management
  courses (includes panel presentation by IT
  Project Team to illustrate how projects are
  handled in the companys culture)
• Findings increased teamwork, camaraderie, shared
  understanding of concepts, respect for individual
  differences, social interaction, and
  reinforcement for class concepts.

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Success 5 Proctor and Gamble(Jeff Barbian,
Blended Works, Summer 2002, Online Learning)

• 1999 100,000 employees 20,000 trained/year
• LMS from Saba, live training from Centra
• CD-based training using Authorware,
  CourseBuilder, Dreamweaver
• 2002 1,200 learning items 34 Web, 54 CD
• Global English saved 2.5 million per year
• Off-the-shelf courses in time management and
  managing for success

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Proctor and Gamble(Jeff Barbian, Blended Works,
Summer 2002, Online Learning)

• Given our learning objectives and needs, should
  we select Web-based live training, versus
  classroom, versus video-based, versus CBT, or
  some blended solution?It depends, on the
  resources you have, how far geographically you
  have to reach, or whether you can get your arm
  around them and pull them into a classroom.
• Art DiMartile, Senior IT Manager, Proctor and
  Gamble

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Three Phases of AC3-DL

1. Asynchronous Phase 240 hours of instruction or 1
   year to complete must score 70 or better on
   each gate exam
2. Synchronous Phase 60 hours of asynchronous and
   120 hours of synchronous
3. Residential Phase 120 hours of training in 2
   weeks at Fort Knox

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AC3-DL Course Tools

• Asynchronous
• Learning Management System
• E-mail
• Synchronous Virtual Tactical Operations Center
  (VTOC) (7 rooms 15 people/extension)
• Avatar
• Audio conference by extension/room (voice over
  IP)
• Text Chat Windowsglobal and private
• Special tools for collaboration

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LMS Can Help Determine

• Who is currently or recently active
• How far learners have progressed
• Exam completion and scores
• Where students are experiencing difficulties
• Who needs reminders

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AC3-DL Collaboration Tools

• Asynchronous
• Document sharing
• E-mail
• Synchronous VTOC
• Shared text
• Shared bookshelf
• Mapedit
• 3D terrain

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Teams Collaborate on Mission Analysis

• Information and critical reflection on
• terrain and weather,
• enemy forces,
• facts, assumptions, limitations,
• specific tasks, implied tasks,
• assets available, and
• additional considerations,

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Mapedit Tool

• The Mapedit program, was developed to create map
  overlays, emulating plastic sheets on which
  symbols are drawn that are laid onto a map (like
  football playbooks for the maneuver officer).
  And if students want a whiteboard, they simply
  have to open a blank overlay (no map background).

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Mapedit Tool

• Mapedit allows multiple users to add, delete, and
  move symbols and lines on the map overlay. In
  Mapedit, the driver chooses which file to open,
  and names the file to save, but all users can
  edit the contents.

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3D Terrain Tool

• The 3D terrain is a collaborative environment
  that does not result in a product, but, instead,
  allows students and instructors to "walk" the
  terrain and lay an overlay on the ground.
  Participants can click on another person's
  avatar, and they will see what that person sees
  as he makes key points about terrain.

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Previously Reported Results Sanders Guyer
(2001)

• Fairly positive compared to pen and paper
  correspondence
• Student fairly familiar with async and sync
  communication tools
• Student attitudes higher than unit leaders
• Problems encountered time, drill time conflicts,
  technical problems, family responsibilities, lack
  of compensation

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Previously Reported Results Sanders Burnside
(2001)

• Completed coursework in less time than
  correspondence course.
• Positive attitudes
• Covered additional content not covered in
  correspondence version of course
• More likely to make decisions, develop greater
  sense of team identity
• Greater planfulness, confidence, tactical
  proficiency, and leadership skills.

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Present Two-Part StudyResearch Methods

• Questionnaires (of AC3-DL Students only)
• Perceptions of the synchronous environment
• Technology access
• SCALCOperceptions of constructivist nature of
  AC3-DL
• Chat Transcript Analyses (over 6,600)
• Focus Group Interviews
• 2 groups of 4 students in Phase III (live
  training)
• 3 instructors
• Course developers and supervisors

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Study 1 Synchronous Chat Analysis (explored
learner online problem solving)
Orvis, K. L., Wisher, R. A., Bonk, C. J.,
Olson, T. (in press). Problem-solving exercises
in military training Communication patterns
during synchronous Web-based instructions.
Computers in Human Behavior (Special Journal
Issue on Computer-Based Assessment of Problem
Solving).
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Table 1 Chat Coding Categories
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Figure 1. Social, mechanics, and on-task
behaviors in the chat interactions over time
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Overall frequency of interactions across chat
categories (6,601 chats).
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Overall frequency of interactions across chat
categories (6,601 chats).
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On-Task Problem SolvingMayer Wittrock
(1996)-The transfer that occurs when prior
experience and knowledge influence learning in a
new situation

• Terrain does not allow for effective maneuver of
  your element
• Harder to detect a liquid agent in rain
• Rain can also degrade optics on weapon systems

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Sternberg (1997)-The acts of defining a problem,
allocating resources, and tracking progress

• I dont see anything about obstacles in the
  CLOSE section
• I think obstacles in the Close section of the
  COA statement is a necessary evil
• Remember in the BDE OPORD-the BDE CMDR wants
  this to occur at about this time

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Social Interactions

• Kids are great we made breakfast for Mom (wife)
• Did you go out for a run last night?
• Tell her I said happy mothers day
• 3 miles in 24 mins all hills
• If God had meant for us to run, he wouldnt have
  given us tanks

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Mechanics of the Process

• Cannot talk or hear...will try to
  reconnect.....
• Is anyone talking right now? I think I dropped
  audio
• Going to reboot

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Study 2 Focus Group Findings
Bonk, C. J., Olson, T., Wisher, R. A., Orvis,
K. L. (2002). Reflections on blended learning
The Armor Captains Career Course. (Research Note
2002-13). Alexandria, VA U.S. Army Research
Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
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Results Bonk, Olson, Wisher, Orvis

• All had access to technology
• Enjoyed the course, excellent technologies
• Favored sync over asynchronous
• All pointed to ways to address high attrition
• Perceived training transfer
• Learned to work as a team

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Bonk et al. Results Continued

• High individual and collective efficacy
• High interpersonal and task cohesiveness
• Perceived an active learning environment

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Advantages and Disadvantages
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Student Perspective Advantages

• Flexible and convenient for working fulltime
• Students can work at own pace.
• Immediate feedback and mentoring can be received
  online and at any time.
• Online learning environment can be structured for
  active learning.
• Students learn to work together while online.
• Online chats fostered thoughtful commenting and
  reflection.

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Student Perspective Disadvantages

1. Lack of preorientation session to detail course
   expectations and tools.
2. Length of course did not match needs.
3. Novel technologies difficult to use and crash.
4. Must learn in preset order minimal system
   flexibility. Instructor permission to progress.
5. Minimal asynchronous feedback.
6. High attrition due to large modules.
7. Community and identity takes much forethought.

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Instructor Perspective Advantages

1. Fits army small group instruction model.
2. Tailor instruct strategies to form of delivery.
3. Can provide immediate and detailed feedback.
4. Group interaction boosts confidence of lows.
5. Greater learning and application of knowledge.
6. Standardization of content stay up-to-date.
7. Teach to solve problem sits communicate.
8. Timely online mentoring opportunities.

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Instructor Perspective Disadvantages

1. High attrition/low completion rates.
2. Excessive student time commitments.
3. Lack of instructor control over size of content.

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DL Education Advisor Perspective Advantages

1. Course can take advantage of recent advances in
   technology and theory.
2. Can embed different forms of media to address
   different learning styles.
3. Can historically track student work and learning.
4. Can embed authentic and meaningful activities.

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DL Education Advisor Perspective Disadvantages

1. Many risks in selecting a particular tech.
2. Hard to be aware of future technologies when
   dealing in present tech issues.
3. Too many choices overwhelm learners.
4. Some students waste paper.
5. Some want CDs when have Web paper.
6. Learning management system not flexible.

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What were the key issues or considerations?
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Issue or Consideration1. Feedback

• Student Advice E-mail is important for
  contacting instructors.
• Instructor Advice Provide instant and consistent
  feedback with e-mail and other tools.
• DL Advisor Advice Involve direct e-mail.

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Issue or Consideration2. Meaningful/Real World
Content

• Student Advice Products constructed should
  approximate real world.
• Instructor Advice Require students to produce
  products instructors peers evaluate.
• DL Advisor Advice Include meaningful content and
  apply new skills to real-life content.

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Issue or Consideration3. Size Scope of
Content/Materials

• Student Advice Divide async. content and testing
  into smaller units or accomplishments to motivate
  and enhance completion rates.
• Instructor Advice Instructors need some control
  over content size so as to inc completion.
• DL Advisor Advice Utilize minimal extraneous
  content, graphics practice exercises.

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Issue or Consideration4. Course Devel
Organization

• Student Advice A preorientation session will
  help address concerns. Lecture before assign
  project work.
• Instructor Advice Learn content async (crawl)
  put to use asynchronously (walk) and apply to
  real-life scenarios (run).
• DL Advisor Advice Carefully analyze audience
  wants needs prior to course development.

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Issue or Consideration5. Role of Instructor

• Student Advice Instructor is helpful as
  facilitator of learning. Same instructor should
  support students across all phases.
• Instructor Advice Instructor is facilitator
  provides tools, guidance, and means to learn.
  Engage students with indirect questions,
  reminders, role play, and direct requests.
• DL Advisor Advice Instructor provides feedback
  and sense that someone cares.

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Issue or Consideration6. Small Group Structuring

• Student Advice Rotate roles among students in
  role play activities.
• Instructor Advice Match strong leaders and
  weaker students to boost confidence and
  performance. Provide instructions b4 role play.
• DL Advisor Advice Create active environmentrole
  plays simulations. Balance flexibility and
  accountability.

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Issue or Consideration7. Flexible and Active
Learning

• Student Advice Allow students to complete
  modules at own pace minimize instructor need for
  approval to advance.
• Instructor Advice DL helps students who work
  fulltime keep up-to-date.
• DL Advisor Advice Offer flexibility, choice,
  variety, meaningful contexts, and performance
  opportunities.

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Issue or Consideration8. Technology Utilization

• Student Advice Utilize basic technology
  functions so as to minimize frustration.
• Instructor Advice Use async for basic concepts
  and synchronous for application.
• DL Advisor Advice Limit technological visions
  and incorporate technology based on what it can
  presently accomplish.

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Issue or Consideration9. Build General Skills
Communication, Problem Solving, Teamwork, and
Identity

• Student Advice Small talk, introductions, and
  info sharing help form team identity.
• Instructor Advice Problem solving and
  communication are outcomes of DL. Online tasks
  should teach how to work together. Virtual talk
  fosters interaction and participation.
• DL Advisor Advice Move from indiv (async) to
  application in small groups (sync) to problem
  solving in units (resident component).

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Issue or Consideration10. Assessment Practices

• Student Advice Assessment should match
  real-world expectations. Shift focus from
  quantity of learning or breadth to depth. Assess
  should cover smaller units of instruction.
• Instructor Advice Async for objective tests
  sync for student performances/products.
• DL Advisor Advice Use online tests and exercises
  with automatic feedback. Also embed random
  checks and some flexibility.

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Recent Changes

• Guest Mentors in VTOC
• Mix 2 weeks of Asynchronous and 1 week of
  Synchronous
• Allow to Complete in Less Time

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Questions or Comments???