Our collaborative work for this task has encompassed five key areas of online learning communities. The group all provided resources to share and completed a page of the blog dedicated to their particular area of interest.
Although five different aspects of online communities were examined, there were some common areas evident. Particularly enhancing participation and interaction plus incorporating effective design of VLE and activities.
Matthew evaluated e-learning models, concluding that as e-learning is constantly evolving one model would not fit all. The benefits and drawbacks of three elearning models were considered.
1. Transmission and Dissemination
A simple model involving passive learning from the student and the teacher is seen as "the 'expert', controller and arbiter of knowledge" (McConnell, 2006).
Once content is added little upkeep needs to be done however this model does not allow for processional feedback.
2. Transmission with Discussion
From the pupils perspective, this approach is more involved than the transmission and dissemination model. The pupil is required to learn the content, but also to demonstrate their understanding of it as well.
3. Learning Community
In this model the 'knowledge' does not exist in advance of the course starting. It is instead constructed collectively by all the learners involved.
In terms of professional development, the learning community model has benefits outweighing it's drawbacks. Pupils becoming teachers and teachers becoming pupils all leads to a more detailed, in-depth understanding of the subject material, which at higher levels, is what education and professional development is all about.
Wilson explored the benefits of collaborative elearning groups and communities and established that, “some researchers report finding it difficult to engage some students in meaningful and productive work in e-learning environments (Jones, 1998, 2000; Tansley and Bryson, 2000), or find that virtual learning environments make no contribution to learning (Veen, et al, 1998). Others have suggested that this medium is impersonal (e.g. Wegerif, 1998).
However concluded that when time and attention is given to a course design that develops and maintains group work and a learning community, the quality of the experience can be very satisfying and the learning outcomes highly acceptable (McConnel, 2000)”.
The main benefits were seen to be :
1. Mastery and retention of material
2. Quality of reasoning strategies
3. Progress gains
4. Transference of learning.
Scott investigated how to create an engaging e-learning environment so that the learning experience of pupils is enhanced. Suggesting that strategies be employed to address lack of engagement to online learning and investigation into barriers to the use of elearning.
Determining that assumptions are made with regard to learners being fully computer literate and confident users of technology. However some academics (Keenan & Currant, 2006) have suggested that many students favour a face to face approach.
It was concluded that distance learning can be challenging and isolating and the effective design of learning activities could counteract this.
If followed the diagram shown below would lend itself to the effective design of e-learning activities.
Nichola examined the aesthetics of online course design. According to J. Williams (2007) 'a key, overreaching goal for any educator is to ensure that the student has a memorable online learning experience while achieving the desired learning outcomes.' Using the VLE or an online learning environment is no longer gimmick enough to get student attention. The important thing today is creating a visually attractive web environment to grab student's attention.
There are a number of factors that can help making online courses more aesthetically pleasing and user friendly:
1. The colours that you use.
2. The icons/images that you use.
3. The film clips that you use.
4. The font that you use
D. Norman (2004) put across the point of view that there are three levels of emotional response by online course users in regards to visual content, i.e. fonts, icons and images used. He suggests that:
1. A learner’s enjoyment of an online course is based upon visceral images and not cultural background.
2. The more an online designer enjoys designing an online course the more the visual learner will enjoy using the online content.
3. The design of the online content will impact upon the success of the learner.
All of the literature infers that a good design must be in symmetry with the course content. Online learning environments, such as VLEs, must be as accessible to students as web pages and Internet sites. They can no longer be used as a dumping ground for resources or storage areas for course notes and lesson resources.
Wendy asked the question ‘What makes a successful online community?’
Whilst the use of this medium has numerous advantages, a learning community will not reach it's maximum potential unless essential factors are taken into consideration. McConnell (2006) states that 'participation in a collaborative task helps maintain efforts to keep up the level of exchanges in the debate.' Therefore it can be said that a successful community must allow for active participation and debate amongst the learners.
Thus design of the tools for successful collaborative learning and participation need to consider motivation and value, as well as the ease of access and relevance to the participants. Tasks that require learners to add reflective posts and relate content to personal practice encourages the social element. Whilst relating to current practice ensures relevancy and value for the learners.
