Online Courses
Encourage Learning by Doing
Think about how you went about learning Windows XP. Did you
learn by:
- Reading a book about Window XP
- Watching a video about Window XP
- Attending Lectures about Window XP
- Working through examples from a book
- Working through examples from a video
- Working through examples in a class
- Try things out in Window XP
- Having to solve a problem in Window XP
- Teaching somebody else
If you are like most people you probably checked items in the
#4-8 range. If you are lucky, you checked #9. It’s
pretty unusual for items #1-3 to be effective.
Conclusion
It’s very simple: Most people learn by doing. Learning
by doing means practice plays an important role in
learning.
Online courses provide the learning activities from #4-9,
students are able to access them without space and time limit.
Online Course Research
Results
Reports from Indiana University’s Study
Key Strengths of Online Courses:
- Encouraging active learning
- Encouraging student-faculty-contact
- Respecting diverse talents and ways of learning
Areas for Improvement
- Encouraging cooperation among students
- Giving prompt feedback
- Improving Human Computer Interface (HCI) Design
(Source: “Teaching in a Web Based Distance Learning Environment:
An Evaluation Summary Based on Four Courses” —Conducted by Center
for Research on Learning and Technology at Indiana University,
March, 2000)
How Do e-Learning Instructors Feel?
Reports from Florida Institute of
Technology’s Study
A survey conducted by ecollege.com:
- 85 % of the faculty said their students learn equally
effectively online as on campus.
- Some said their students did even better online than in
traditional classroom settings.
Another survey conducted by TeleEducation:
- 62% said their students learned equally effectively in the
online environment;
- 23% of faculty stated that their students learned better
online.
(Source: “An Assessment of the Effectiveness of E-Learning in
Corporate Training Programs”—Conducted by Florida Institute of
Technology, April, 2002)
How Do Learners Feel?
Reports from Florida Institute of
Technology’s Study
The majority of 1,002 students who responded to a survey
said they chose the online format because the flexibility and
convenience of the program. Comments included:
- “I love that I have the flexibility to continue to hold a full
time job.”
- “To study any time that best suits my busy schedule.”
- “I was able to work with my instructor, receive tremendous
technical support at all hours of the night and gain the same
quality content and evaluation as my peers taking the same class on
campus”.
(Source: “An Assessment of the Effectiveness of E-Learning in
Corporate Training Programs”—Conducted by Florida Institute of
Technology, April, 2002)