Luddites Can Lead Online Classes Too

Republished from FOCUS 22: 3 (Fall 2014): 6-7. At the time of initial publication, the author was Assistant Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Adjunct Professor, Rowe School of Business and Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University.

An n of 1 is not a good sample size. Caution be noted. I suspect, however, that my reflections on launching an online class this past year may resonate with some of you. Why? For starters, I am an unlikely candidate to lead an online class. I would define myself as someone more suited to the record player and rotary phone era. I don’t Facebook, blog or tweet and yes, I like to use a bank teller. A year and a half ago, I doubted the merits of online teaching. I considered online teaching to be akin to the box of audiotapes mailed out by the correspondence education departments. It was not ‘real’ teaching. I love the classroom. My steadfast assumption was that building relationships, engaging students in discussions, leading activities, sharing humour and communicating enthusiasm depended on face-to-face contact. It’s clear now, that I was wrong.

I also assumed online courses served only a small niche market, not true. The number of students taking online programs and online courses is staggering and expected to grow. A 2012 study by Contact North, Ontario’s Distance Education and Training Network, reviewed online learning at the post-secondary level in Canada, and estimates there are 875,000-950,000 registered online students in Canada. Moreover, online classes can increase enrolment. They better support working professionals, students balancing job commitments, students with families, and many other students who would normally be marginalized from the traditional university experience. They can be offered without bricks and mortar. They retain students who take classes at other institutions during the summer months or while on co-op terms or abroad. But most importantly, from my perspective as a teacher, case study reports in the literature and student surveys consistently indicate learning outcomes are on par with face-to-face classes (Bowen & Lack, 2010; Carey & Tick, 2013; Figlio et al., 2010; Kaznowska et al., 2011).

I was tasked to develop and teach a new class integrating issues of economics, sustainability and distributional justice. The class, INTD 3012, entitled ‘Sustainability, Development, and Economy,’ offered a one-term introduction to economics from a sustainability perspective for undergraduate students who have little or no prior exposure to economics, but who have completed one or more classes in international development, ESS, environmental science, or related programs. The development of the class was funded through an academic innovation grant.

Developing an online course is much more than recording your lectures or posting your slides. The audiotape concept of distance learning is long gone. Students today would not tolerate it, nor should they. No matter how good you are, recorded lectures do not come across as Ted Talks. However, you can be incredibly creative with the online platform. I shifted to a twenty minutes, or less, lecture model and emphasized other forms of learning.

I also assumed an online course would require more preparation time than a live class and would essentially run itself once launched. Wrong again. Yes, there is more investment time up front. It does not, however, run itself. My role shifted away from being a central figure communicating information to students, towards a facilitator of individual and peer learning. The new role was not a passive one. To build a sense of community requires that you maintain an active presence on your site and find avenues to communicate and engage with your students. I had success using the discussion boards and posting a weekly check in. I also held online office hours.

Students actually did learn and engage. I found the discussion groups a very useful means to encourage peer learning and to emphasize collaboration. I was impressed with the caliber of the posts and the level of engagement from my students. I find that in the classroom a small cohort of confident individuals comfortable with speaking up become the few dominant voices. My guess is that the veil of the computer reduces participation anxiety felt by some students in a classroom setting. Typing their contributions also gives students an opportunity to edit their thoughts before committing them to the scrutiny of their peers and the professor. This results in more honest reflections on class material and better learning opportunities for students. In a couple of instances, I had students in my online class whom I had taught previously. I was surprised by a few who I assumed to be shy or unengaged, but they thrived through participation in discussion boards. I was so impressed with the discussion format that I have now adopted an online discussion component for my face-to-face classes.

It is possible to gauge your class remotely. You lose the real time feedback of body language and class atmosphere, but you make up for it in other ways. I adjusted by monitoring the tone and excitement in discussion posts and making an extra effort to solicit feedback. I set up an anonymous discussion board for students to provide feedback. I also set up an anonymous midpoint survey seeking feedback about course format, content and direction. I conveyed the importance of feedback to me personally but also in the context of this being a new course. Beyond receiving constructive input, encouraging feedback creates a sense that you care. I modified my course after receiving the midpoint feedback to simplify the group discussion process.

My last point is a reiteration of my first point. Launching an online class is not simply uploading lectures and slides. A shift to online classes and programs requires institutional support and leadership backed by sufficient resources. Currently, there is no incentive for professors to put in the time to redesign their courses. Further, many professors need training and technical support to prepare for online course delivery. My online class offering would have been a disaster had I not received course design support from the Centre for Learning and Teaching.

Resources aside, a bigger challenge going forward will be motivating professors to change what they are familiar with and good at. My guess is that the classroom resonates for most professors. I love engaging with students in a class. I can read a room, I understand how to build energy and excitement. Online classes are a different format that requires some getting used to. You communicate differently and it is more difficult to gauge how students are doing. Unfortunately, there is less room for spontaneity and real time feedback, but for all the disadvantages, there is a window of opportunity. I experienced a steep learning curve. The climb, however, offered me a chance at becoming a better teacher.

I try to instill in my two young children, the importance of trying new things. Taking calculated risks and experimenting encourages learning moments. For my children it is usually in the realm of new foods, doing a summersault or trying to swim underwater. I also try to be a dad who leads by example. Teaching an online class was something new and scary. It was also fun. The bumps and hiccups contributed to the learning experience. I tried, and Luddites, if I can do it, you can do it. If that doesn’t motivate you, I will take Bob Dylan’s approach (it may resonate better with Luddites) and say, “the times they are a changing”.

References

Bowen, W., & Lack, K. (2012). Current Status of Research on Online Learning in Postsecondary Education, Addendum, October 10, 2012. Accessed online: about.jstor.org/sites/ default/files/misc/ithaka-sr-online-learning-postsecondaryeducation-addendum.pdf (October 2014).

Carey, T., & Trick, D. (2013). How Online Learning Affects, Productivity, Cost and Quality in Higher Education: An Environmental Scan and Review of the Literature. HEQCO Research Publications. July 30th, 2013. Accessed online: www. heqco.ca/en-CA/Research/Research%20Publications/Pages/ Home.aspx (October 2014).

Contact North. Ontario’s Distance Education and Training Network. Online Learning in Canada, At a Tipping Point. A Cross Country Check Up 2012. June 2012. Accessed online: www.contactnorth.ca (September 2014).

Figlio, D. N., Rush, M., & Yin, L. (2010). Is it Live or is it Internet? Experimental Estimates of the Effects of Online Instruction on Student Learning. The National Bureau of Economic Research. NBER Working Paper No. 16089. June 2010. Accessed online: www.nber.org/papers/w16089 (October 2014). Kaznowska, E.,

Rogers, J., & Usher, A. (2011). The State of E-Learning in Canadian Universities, 2011: If Students Are Digital Natives, Why Don’t They Like E-Learning? Toronto: Higher Education Strategy Associates.

Parker, K., Lenhart, A., & Moore, K. (2011). The Digital Revolution and Higher Education College Presidents, Public Differ on Value of Online Learning. PEW Research Centre. August 28th, 2011. Accessed online: www.pewinternet.org/ files/old-media//Files/Reports/2011/PIP-Online-Learning.pdf (September 2014).