When I began to teach Internet Programming this semester, I thought that there would be a lively attendance in the online office hours. I thought the students would be curious about me at the least. So far, I have had only one attendee. I have practically had to force them to use the asynchronous discussion. No matter how much I threaten and cajole, they avoid communications like the plague.
While taking a course in Distance Education at University of Florida, I was forced to attend office hours - once. Dr. Cavanaugh was using a medium called Elluminate Live!. It had the capacity for auditory communication and holographic input as well as typing. I was so fascinated by this application I returned to office hours every time they were offered and just lurked. Sometimes, even though I am quite shy, I was caught up enough to chime right in there. I then began to study the research regarding synchronous and asynchronous communication and their effect on student participation and student satisfaction.
Literature search:
During this study, I first wanted to know the ways that student participation have been measured and whether or not student participation influences student performance. I found that there is substantial evidence that class participation, no matter how it is measured, is an important factor in student success. I also found that the combined measure of participation (email, class utterances and discussion posts) and the course click count appear to be good predictors of exam performance in an e-learning course (Douglas & Alemanne, 2007).
I also wanted to know what factors influence the building of community in online instruction and to what extent they do this. My research indicated that transactional distance, instructor immediacy, lurking, social equity, collaborative learning, group facilitation, and self-directed learning, social presence has a great impact on the sense of community within online learning environments (Chongwony, 2008). I am particularly interested fostering social presence in my classes.
I also researched social constructivism in the context of social presence. The literature supported my casual findings that a facilitative teaching presence rather than didactic teaching presence does not mean that you ignore the student’s cries for help; rather, the students need more social presence and motivation in an online situation (Thomason, 2008).
What I want to find out:
What can be done that would encourage more communication by Santa Fe College students, create more social sense and thereby more student satisfaction.
Would these things help?
Synchronous office hours that could be thought of as a live discussion hour. I would not even call them office hours.
Would it help if it could involve auditory conversations as well as typed ones? There would definitely be more immediacy and a sensory social sense and by extension more student satisfaction. This would require an online tool such as Elluminate Live! or Adobe Connect
Would more instructor – student interaction in the form of assignments that require the instructors participation by modeling certain assignments help foster better communication.
I am trying this in the nature of a slide show in Javascript in which I participate and allow the students to critique.
Hi Suzon,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I love the outline for the proposal from NOVA, what a great tool. Just so I can understand better, are you looking into your students communicating with each or or with you?
Hi Suzon,
ReplyDeleteI have a very vested interest in your proposal since I would be one of the beneficiaries of your research.
I also saw the capabilities of Elluminate Live and found it rather fascinating. It certainly goes above and beyond what Angel does for us (and doesn't do for us!). In addition, it appears that more of our courses are moving into the online and hybrid venues. Teacher and student communication will become more imperative as students continue away from the traditional classroom. Why not make it lively and where other students can participate or lurk together and still get something from the sessions? Have you ever had to answer emails that answer the same question over and over? It'll probably still happen even if we do move to Elluminate Live, but having the opportunity to explain a difficult concept once for a multitude of students would be wonderful!
I'll be watching as your proposal comes together. I know Dr. Jones will be very impressed with your experience with Elluminate Live - especially from a student's perspective and point of view.
--Debbie
Like Debbie and Suzon, I attended the Elluminate Live! session and was impressed. I assume if the college bought this, it would be for all classes in the college or can it be done on a class by class basis?
ReplyDeleteI think you answered your own question about requiring at least some use; you were fascinated as most of us were and more than willing to use it again.