Fresno Pacific University. Online Teacher Education An evaluation study conducted at: Fresno Pacific University

Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno Pacific University

Online Teacher Online Teacher EducationEducation

An evaluation study conducted at:An evaluation study conducted at:

FresnoPacificUnivers

ity


Technology integration Technology integration emphasis..emphasis..

Online skills are the means - not Online skills are the means - not the the endsends

Prepare teachers for collaborative Prepare teachers for collaborative online curriculum online curriculum

developmentdevelopment


TEC 2008 TEC 2008

Hybrid delivery system:Hybrid delivery system:– Course bookletsCourse booklets

– Floppy disksFloppy disks

– Course websiteCourse website

– E-mailE-mail


TEC 2008 TEC 2008

Three Modules:Three Modules:– E-mail skillsE-mail skills

– World wide webWorld wide web

– Webpage designWebpage design


Research QuestionsResearch Questions

Who was taking the course?Who was taking the course?

Why were they taking the course?Why were they taking the course?

What helped them to learn?What helped them to learn?

How did it change their teaching?How did it change their teaching?


Online SurveyOnline Survey

236 Teachers Polled236 Teachers Polled– 108 responded108 responded

– 46 % return rate46 % return rate


Who was taking the Who was taking the course ?course ?


Age of Course ParticipantsAge of Course Participants

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

20's 30's 40's 50's


Gender of Course Gender of Course ParticipantsParticipants

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Female Male


Grade Level AssignmentsGrade Level Assignments

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

HS MS Elem. Other


School LocationSchool Location

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Rural Suburban Urban


Computer PlatformComputer Platform

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

Mac PC


Previous Internet Previous Internet ExperienceExperience

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

None Some High


Participant ConnectivityParticipant Connectivity

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

None Dial-up Networked


Administrative SupportAdministrative Support

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

High Medium Low


Why are teachers taking the Why are teachers taking the course?course?

Improve personal computer skillsImprove personal computer skills

Learn to use e-mailLearn to use e-mail

Use the internet for researchUse the internet for research

Use the internet for lesson Use the internet for lesson developmentdevelopment

Learn to create webpagesLearn to create webpages


Why are teachers taking the course? - Why are teachers taking the course? - cont.cont.

Prior to coursePrior to course– Initial responses often did not mention Initial responses often did not mention

using skills in the classroomusing skills in the classroom

After the courseAfter the course– Many indicated that they recognized Many indicated that they recognized

the potential for pedagogical usethe potential for pedagogical use


What helps teachers learn What helps teachers learn online?online?

Usual qualities of effective Usual qualities of effective teaching:teaching:– Content knowledgeContent knowledge

– Enthusiasm for the subject matterEnthusiasm for the subject matter

– Organized lesson planOrganized lesson plan


What helps teachers learn online? - What helps teachers learn online? - cont.cont.

Significant differences identified:Significant differences identified:– Prompt answers to questions provided Prompt answers to questions provided

needed support needed support

– Ability to troubleshoot technology Ability to troubleshoot technology problems in a patient manner highly problems in a patient manner highly valuedvalued

– Online medium allows personal Online medium allows personal attention to questionsattention to questions


What do learners value in online What do learners value in online instruction?instruction?

PersonalizationPersonalization

Emotional supportEmotional support

A safe place to learnA safe place to learn


PersonalizationPersonalization

“It allowed a more personalized learning experience, as the instructor "fine tuned" the course to meet MY needs vs group needs.” Becki


Personalization - continuedPersonalization - continued

“I feel I know Bob better than any professor I had in college. I had immediate access to help which I couldn't get from a professor in a classroom situation.” James


Personalization - continuedPersonalization - continued

“He was always interested in my accomplishments and he encouraged me to try out new things on the internet.” Lu


Emotional supportEmotional support

“The immediate feedback was very energizing and was a big plus in taking the class. It was a lot of fun to communicate with the instructor on a one-on-one basis and made the course much more enjoyable.” Pam


Emotional support - Emotional support - continuedcontinued

“Bob's timely responses to my work provided me with the emotional support I needed.” Julee



“I was able to get help a few times when I needed it, otherwise I might have failed with frustration.” Claudia



“The instructor was enormously helpful when I was in panic mode.” Deborah



“Being a novice, I needed the feedback and the validation.” Kathi


A safe place to learnA safe place to learn

“I felt at ease knowing that the instructor was just an email away. I was not afraid to make mistakes.” Chad


A safe place to learn - A safe place to learn - continuedcontinued

“Sometimes students don't want to ask questions in person or over the phone, and this medium allows for a more open approach.” Ed



“No question was too dumb in the privacy of email.” Terri

“I felt very comfortable asking questions ... questions I may have not asked in a classroom.” Chris



“Bob is so encouraging and helpful. He never made me feel stupid, and he gave me so many helpful hints and resources. He walked me through a number of assignments and encouraged me to take things a step further on my own.” Jim



“I felt totally supported in my clumsy early attempts to negotiate the Web...He was unfailingly specific in his comments, which helped me zero in on problem areas.” Joan



“I was able to proceed without feeling lost or abandoned.” Rosalind


TEC 2008TEC 2008

Course Completion RateCourse Completion Rate– 96 percent96 percent


What do learners What do learners value?value? Responses evoke Stephen Responses evoke Stephen

Brookfield’s Brookfield’s work on work on overcoming resistance to overcoming resistance to adult learning.adult learning.– apparent irrelevance of learning activityapparent irrelevance of learning activity

– poor self-image as learnerspoor self-image as learners

– fear of the unknownfear of the unknown

– fear of looking foolish in public.fear of looking foolish in public.


What to learners value? - What to learners value? - continuedcontinued

Effective online instruction Effective online instruction structures structures learning situation learning situation to overcome these to overcome these barriers.barriers.


Changing perceptionsChanging perceptions

Metaphors describing Metaphors describing teachers’ teachers’ views of the views of the classroom after classroom after the the coursecourse


Changing perceptions - Changing perceptions - continuedcontinued

– ““part of the learning world” part of the learning world”

– “ “a more encompassing arena” a more encompassing arena”

– “ “a wider environment” a wider environment”

– “ “a connected classrooma connected classroom””


Changing perceptions - Changing perceptions - continuedcontinued

– “ “a global learning lab”a global learning lab”

– “ “a window to the information a window to the information world” world”

– “ “a porthole to the wonderful a porthole to the wonderful world world beyond beyond””


Implications for future course Implications for future course developmentdevelopment

Many implications

Some unanticipated

Three broad categories for additional research:


Implications - continuedImplications - continued

Hiring and developing online Hiring and developing online instructorsinstructors

Prerequisite skills for learnersPrerequisite skills for learners

Implications for program Implications for program developmentdevelopment


Implications for hiring online Implications for hiring online instructorsinstructors

Traditional skills still apply Traditional skills still apply

Additional written communication Additional written communication skillsskills

Appropriate “voice” and online Appropriate “voice” and online presencepresence


Implications for hiring - Implications for hiring - continuedcontinued

Desired faculty characteristicsDesired faculty characteristics– ability to establish appropriate “voice” ability to establish appropriate “voice”

– online presence that communicatesonline presence that communicates• love of subject love of subject

• respect for the learner respect for the learner


Implications for hiring - Implications for hiring - continuedcontinued

New ethical issuesNew ethical issues

Appropriate “netiquette”Appropriate “netiquette”

Documenting course Documenting course communicationscommunications


Implications for hiring- Implications for hiring- continuedcontinued

Preliminary cross-disciplinary Preliminary cross-disciplinary research research emerging in online and emerging in online and print journalsprint journals

•educationeducation

•psychologypsychology

•communicationscommunications

•sociologysociology

•ethicsethics


Implications for hiring- Implications for hiring- continuedcontinued

Translate research into hiring Translate research into hiring criteria criteria and faculty and faculty development development programmingprogramming


Implications for prerequisite skills for Implications for prerequisite skills for learnerslearners

Delineate learner prerequisite Delineate learner prerequisite skillsskills

Provide means to develop skillsProvide means to develop skills


Implications for program Implications for program evaluationevaluation

Unanticipated research questionsUnanticipated research questions– design issuesdesign issues

Online course and program evaluationOnline course and program evaluation

New possibilitiesNew possibilities– Rapid response possible onlineRapid response possible online


Implications for program evaluation - Implications for program evaluation - cont.cont.

Survey results can be posted for Survey results can be posted for learner learner reactionreaction

Feedback prompts further Feedback prompts further questions questions and responsesand responses


Implications for program evaluation - Implications for program evaluation - cont.cont.

Evaluation loop allows increase in Evaluation loop allows increase in formative and formative and

summative evaluation summative evaluation

Software-aided analysis Software-aided analysis

Greater data utilizationGreater data utilization


SummarySummary

Enthusiastic response to online Enthusiastic response to online coursecourse

Demonstrates power of online Demonstrates power of online medium medium in achieving cognitive in achieving cognitive and affective and affective learning goalslearning goals


Summary - continuedSummary - continued

Strength of this delivery system is Strength of this delivery system is the ability of the instructor to the ability of the instructor to communicate with each learner communicate with each learner individuallyindividually



Role of the instructor “walking” in Role of the instructor “walking” in close time proximity with the close time proximity with the learner is a critical factor in the learner is a critical factor in the learning processlearning process



en kairoen kairo - “at the proper - “at the proper time”time”– FeedbackFeedback

– Personalized instructionPersonalized instruction

– EncouragementEncouragement



Instructor’s ability to troubleshoot Instructor’s ability to troubleshoot technology-related technology-related

concerns concerns – maintains the flow of learningmaintains the flow of learning

– assists in keeping the technology assists in keeping the technology ubiquitousubiquitous



Implications for the maximum Implications for the maximum number number of learners assigned of learners assigned to online coursesto online courses– Technology assistants could deal with Technology assistants could deal with

non-academic concernsnon-academic concerns

– Online instructor/learner Online instructor/learner communication will remain time-communication will remain time-consumingconsuming



Realistic expectations Realistic expectations – Learners’ expectationsLearners’ expectations

– Manageable faculty loads Manageable faculty loads

– Balanced with learner motivation and Balanced with learner motivation and retention issuesretention issues



Faculty development Faculty development – Develop and refine online Develop and refine online

communication skillscommunication skills

– Develop baseline faculty technology Develop baseline faculty technology skillsskills



Online education for teachers Online education for teachers appears appears to be a viable means to be a viable means of professional of professional developmentdevelopment



Online program evaluation will Online program evaluation will assist the assist the university in university in maximizing benefits of maximizing benefits of this this delivery systemdelivery system



School of Professional StudiesSchool of Professional Studies

http://www.fresno.eduhttp://www.fresno.edu

1.800.372.55051.800.372.5505



School of Professional School of Professional StudiesStudiesBob JostBob Jost

[email protected]@fresno.edu

Wendy WakemanWendy Wakeman

[email protected]@fresno.edu


Documents

Fresno Pacific University. Online Teacher Education An evaluation study conducted at: Fresno Pacific University