University Business - February 2012 - (Page 31)

Gates Foundation, and researcher Jaggars notes that the original intent was to discover whether online learning would increase access for low-income students. If these types of students don’t have to commute, wouldn’t they be able to perform better since they can devote more time to study and less to travel? “The idea was that they’d progress through school more easily,” says Jaggars. “We weren’t sure if that’s what we’d see in the results, but we certainly didn’t expect the type of negative impact with online courses that ended up being reported.” Indeed, the researchers noted many advantages for online learning in the report, mentioning the ability for small colleges to offer a wider range of courses, to solve the “available seats” issue in face-to-face courses, and to save on the expenses associated with physical classrooms. But online coursework may be more difficult for some students to complete, which could inhibit their academic progression and eventual completion, the study noted. Low-income and underprepared students can face challenges including technical difficulties, a sense of social distance and isolation, and limited availability of online student support services. Another issue is a lack of the “high learner control” that may be needed for success in the relatively unstructured and flexible online learning environment. To help ameliorate these difficulties while still allowing for increased flexibility, some institutions have created hybrid approaches that blend online coursework with face-to-face class meetings. In the study, Jaggars and Xu didn’t find any significant differences between hybrid and in-person completion rates, suggesting that hybrid courses may pose fewer challenges for students. However, they noted, hybrid courses don’t offer the freedom from geographic constraints in the way that an online-only course might. Following are three areas that can help improve engagement levels of learners in online-only classes. there’s a connection there, and they have support services. But when they’re online, they feel more isolated.” Portland Community College (Ore.), for one, has an online support resource center, which students can access for technical support, discussion groups, and e-tutoring information as needed. In addition, the college has academic advisors who handle only online students. 3. Creative Coursework Instructors should be creative in developing coursework, Jaggars says. A common complaint she heard during her research was that students felt like all they did was read constantly. The courses with the highest success rates in the study contained content, such as music or videos, which allowed students to learn through a number of different elements. Pitt Community College is one institution where students are likely to encounter content in various formats. Instructors there receive eight hours of online course-creation training that demonstrates the uses of several multimedia components. Through the Iowa Community College Online Consortium, instructors of member institutions receive training in how to build relationships and stay connected to students. Online, threaded conversations allow students to chat with each other and instructors as soon as a course begins. Better Outcomes Online education may well have a long way to go before outcomes and student engagement match that of in-person courses, but with stronger strategies and more attention to courses, preparation, and follow-up, it’s likely this type of learning can progress quickly. “There’s so much you can do to make online learning an effective part of a student’s experience,” says Hazelwood. And if everyone works together, “you can make big, meaningful changes.” See www.universitybusiness.com/educationgateways for a closer look at how Pitt and Portland Community Colleges, and the Iowa Community College Online Consortium, engage students taking online courses. Elizabeth Millard is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer who has covered distance learning for University Business. 1. Student preparation “A lot of students don’t necessarily have the skills they need to succeed in these types of courses,” Jaggars says. “Some just don’t have the technical ability; they get lost and confused and can’t access the coursework or figure out an assignment.” Creating a precourse program that guides students through necessary skills can be invaluable, she adds. Also helpful would be integrating information on self-discipline into that initial instruction, since some students have difficulty with blocking out time to work on assignments. She suggests that course creators build deadlines and other time indicators, such as detailed calendars, into courses. For example, letting students know how long an assignment can be expected to take to complete can help them budget their time more effectively. Resources Iowa Community College Online Consortium, www.iowacconline.org Pitt Community College distance learning resources, www.pittcc.edu/distance-learning  Portland Community College online orientation, www.pcc.edu/about/distance/orientation Virginia Community College System study, http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Publication.asp?uid=813 Washington State online and hybrid course study, http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Publication.asp?UID=872 February 2012 | 31 2. Tech and Instructional Support Implementing 24/7 technical support and encouraging more connection between instructors and students can be crucial to online student success, Jaggars says. “Students need to feel connected and supported. They know when they have a face-to-face course that universitybusiness.com http://www.universitybusiness.com/department/education-gateways http://www.iowacconline.org http://www.pittcc.edu/distance-learning http://www.pcc.edu/about/distance/orientation http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Publication.asp?uid=813 http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Publication.asp?UID=872 http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - February 2012

University Business - February 2012
Contents
Editor's Note
College Index
Ad Index
Behind the News
Financial Aid
Campus CFO
Education Gateways
5 Things Administrators Must Know About E-commerce Now
There’s an App for That
Internet Technology
End Note

University Business - February 2012

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