Internet-based learning

"Internet learning" is not always a useful descriptor. As a medium, it an also be used in the classroom, and/or blended with other media. It can also be used for performance support (e.g. procedural steps, checklists, trouble-shooting). The same internet materials can be posted by snail mail to correspondence students on a CD.

At one extreme, the way materials are delivered to students is the only difference between Internet-based leaning and the traditional correspondence courses. At the other extreme, it can include many many different kinds of interactivity.

Courses can be offered as: minimal modular units (q.v.), whole units or clusters of units.

 

Passive Internet

This mode of delivery is extension (correspondence) without local support, done over the Internet. Material can be created as Web-based documents, normally with links to Internet information and research sources. Like extension, the materials are a passive source to be read.

It has the advantage of being easy to prepare, especially if paper extension materials are already written. Moreover, course-writers can hyperlink to Internet sources that they don't own, so they can have full use of excellent resources for free without infringing copyright.

 

Active Internet

Some Internet materials can be highly interactive so that the medium actively teaches. This includes:

• systematic email groups More
• systematic e-conferences, teleconferences, or chat rooms
• programmed instruction and
• most interactive simulations.

Systematic email has almost no cost other than the tutor's time.

While generally an excellent medium, programmed instruction and interactive simulations are notoriously expensive to develop from scratch.

The general trend is toward live time communication technologies that create direct contact and a sense of community between students. E-conferences rely on webcams and supporting software, and educational programs that use chat rooms normally install their own software. Teleconferences are very low cost if using voice over Internet protocols.

 

Passive or active with local support.

Students of an Internet-provided course with local support can be either individuals or groups, and can be led by either a tutor with subject matter expertise, a tutor with facilitation expertise, or a mentor.

Consequently, it is easy to place materials in a matrix:

	Passive	Active
On-line support only	Passive Internet-based learning with on-line support only.	Active Internet-based learning with on-line support only.
Local support only	Passive Internet-based learning with local support only.	Active Internet-based learning with local support only.
On-line and local support	Passive Internet-based learning with on-line support as well as local support.	Active Internet-based learning with on-line support as well as local support.

Notes:

• Some forms of interactivity (email groups and chat rooms) double as online support.
• Other interactive forms (programmed instruction and simulations) do not.

 

More
Source: David Day, Pilbara TAFE speaking at The Seventh Annual Best Practice Teaching Forum, 8 - 9 December 2005

Online learning may include:

• systematic email (not incidental email)
• websites
• downloadable materials
• audioconference or teleconfernece
• PDA with wireless cards
• mobile phones with memory and Bluetooth
• downloadable iPod resources

97% of respondents in the survey said over 50’s had exactly the same problems getting into online learning, but are more fearful.

Older women tend to be early adopters and innovators in on-line learning.

To be effective in implementing on-line learning, release a person from the team to:

1. be the champion
2. produce resources
3. mentor other staff (this is the most effective way to get staff into on-line learning, but is most time-consuming).
4. start small, for example, by collecting assignments electronically.

Tips:

• Photo Story is a free download from Microsoft if you have Windows XP and can pull content into MS Moviemaker
• See the Digital Storytelling Network on EDNA groups. Carol McCulloch is coordinator.