Mike Caulfield comments on who online students are, in response to a Blackboard report.
I recommend reading the Bb report. Here's a snip from the beginning:
Most students who enroll in an online class recognize and express that they are agreeing to a lesser experience.
Yikes! That doesn't make me feel all that good as an online instructor. But when situated within other data points (namely about who these online learners are: campus student taking extra courses online), it makes sense. I don't think it is a lesser experience (or doesn't have to be; different, but not lesser), but I can see how some people would enter and/or exit an online class holding that belief.
And Phil Hill provides additional commentary:
What do you think?
As I look at and read the data snippets, it seems like they have a small sample size through which they collected some qualitative data, and this small sample consisted of students who experienced poorly designed online courses. I understand students may hold the belief that online course may result in less experience, but I don't agree that students can't see where they are compared to their peers in an online course, or there is no opportunity where questions asked by one student can serve as queues for other students. Actually, I find it easier to access to information about course or peers in a well-designed online course where there are opportunities for interaction with peers, the instructor and/or TA.
ReplyDelete