So are we moving away from brick and morter schools. Will we all be teaching and learning from home by 2025? Is online learning really better than physical face-to-face interactions with live teachers and classmates? What is making them so successful? According to Palloff and Pratt, the success of the online learning environment is directly attributed to the instructor or facilitator. The instructor of online learning communities need to be flexible with a willingness to adjust instruction methods, delivery, assignments, or platforms of learning as needed. (Palloff & Pratt, 2007, pg. 124.) The reading looks at the 2004 studies of Rovai and Jordan to suggest that, students do in fact perform better in online learning communities that meet face to face, because of “reduced sense of isolation” and [appealing]to more dependent learners who rely on direct instructor contact to support their learning process.” (as cited in Palloff & Pratt, 2007, p. 125) This study focused on the graduate level learners, and did not compare to younger elementary learners. The reading also stressed learner-centric processes that facilitate learning within a constructive collaborative infrastructure. Lastly Pallof and Pratt stress the importance of the ‘environment’ of the online learning community. If the individuals of the community are focused on the environment that normally means it is not doing its job. The environment should be working towards transparency. (Pallof & Praff, page 117)
The Sloan Consortium report really is just grasping at data and trying to hard to draw some larger conclusions or research from data which is vast and often difficult to not only collect but interpret. There were inconsistencies with the defining of terms and programming as well as the overall processes with which data was extracted from the study schools. Accepting this challenge they began the process of defining distance education, developing a guidelines and a methodology to collect information on distance education, and in the collection of data started a data driven discussion on distance education. The study found that in the future if the trend continues it will become a substantial component of K-12 education. Research states that around one quarter of our nations K-12 schools have some type of e-learning or virtual school instruction. (Picciano & Seaman, 2007, p.17). However the focus of the coursework is in a blended or hybrid formatting. So is blending face-to-face with online learning the key?
I found an interesting New York Times article by Steve Lohr called “Study finds that online education beats the classroom”. The article begins quoting a 2009 93 page report from The US department of Education that claims “On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.” (as cited in Lohr 2009). Barbara Means, the study’s lead author and an educational psychologist at SRI International said “The study’s major significance lies in demonstrating that online learning today is not just better than nothing — it actually tends to be better than conventional instruction.” (Lohr 2009)
Studies like this are helpful because it gives online learning or distance learning credibility. I still feel like a blended format like our cohort is the best way to go because it gives face to the instructor as well as the learners which builds social presence and a sense of community. In the same article, Philip R. Regier, the dean of Arizona State University’s Online and Extended Campus program, said “People are correct when they say online education will take things out the classroom. But they are wrong, I think, when they assume it will make learning an independent, personal activity. Learning has to occur in a community.” (as cited in Lohr 2009)
Sources Cited
Lohr, S. (2009, August 19). “Study finds that online education beats the classroom”. The New York Times, p. 1. Retrieved February 11, 2011, from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the-classroom/?emc=eta1
Picciano, A and Seaman PhD., J (2007) K–12 ONLINE LEARNING: A SURVEY OF U.S.SCHOOL DISTRICTADMINISTRATORS Sloan Consortium. USA:Sloan-C. [http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/pdf/K-12_Online_Learning.pdf]
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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