How Ready are College Students to Learn Online Today?
Anastasia Trekles, Purdue University North Central
Sunila Samuel & Kathleen Gordon, American School
Today’s Students and Online Courses
● What makes today’s students different from those of years past?
● What attitudes, knowledge, and skills do students bring with them to college?
● What do today’s students prefer - online, hybrid, or traditional?
Research on Millennials
● One of the most-studied generations
● Generalizations come mostly from research - still, important not to stereotype
● Includes students with birthdays from 1980-early 2000’s
Characteristics of the Millennial Generation
● Diverse● Grew up with “helicopter
parents”● “Largest, healthiest, and
most cared-for generation”
● Strive to achieve - motivated by grades and recognition
● Family oriented● Technology is
commonplace● Confident and team-
oriented
Success in Online Learning
● Many factors in course design can also play a part in how well students perform
● Good online courses tend to be:o Logically sequencedo Interactiveo Easy to use and navigateo Involve real-world problems and solutionso Focused on course objectives
Success in Online Learning
● A number of indicators of online success have been identified in the literature o Self-esteemo Intrinsic Motivationo Locus of Controlo Reading skillso Independent Learningo Technology skills
Do Millennials Have These Skills?
● What do instructors think?● What do students think?● How are students prepared in high
school?● The answers might surprise you!
Method
● Two surveys - instructors and students - about online and hybrid learning expectations and preparedness
● Key research questions:o What are college students’ current perceptions of the
value and delivery of hybrid and distance education courses?
o What are college instructors’ current perceptions of students’ needs and preferences with regard to hybrid and distance education?
o What kinds of support do college students need to prepare and participate in online learning successfully?
Instructor Perceptions
● Survey: https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bKkzrJ7xE6kKFRX
● Preliminary Responses: 50 (n=400)● 77% had taught at least one online or hybrid
course● 40% preferred traditional teaching, however,
while 21% preferred online and 28% preferred hybrid (5% not sure)
● Mix of full- and part-time instructors
Basic Stats
● 79% believe that online and hybrid courses help students balance their schedules
● 30% believe that students are not prepared for the technical demands of online learning, and 54% believe they are not prepared for the pedagogical demands
● 58% believe students can learn as much online as FTF
● 93% agreed that faculty responsiveness is essential
● 81% believed that discussions are essential ● 76% felt that multimedia is essential
Qualitative Feedback from Faculty
● Some faculty will never teach online for personal beliefs; many expressed preference for hybrid
● Good online experiences as learners = positive perceptions as teachers
● Many continue to express concerns about academic integrity in online classes
● Some believe students enter online learning with the wrong expectations for the course or about their success
Student Perceptions
● Survey: https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_a9wrX3SfRddkRh3
● Preliminary Responses: 266 (n=3383)● 29% Freshman, 22% Sophomore, 22% Junior,
26% Senior, 1% Graduate● 89% had taken at least one online or hybrid
course
Basic Stats
● 68% feel online and hybrid classes are important because they help them balance their schedule
● 76% felt adequately prepared to learn online● 55% believe they can learn as much online as in
FTF courses● 91% believe instructor responsiveness is
essential to their success● 26% “Agree” and 33% “neither agree/disagree”
responses on the importance of discussions● 70% believe that multimedia is essential online
Qualitative Feedback from Students
● Bad experiences = negative perceptions of all online courses
● Some loved online/hybrid, some hated it● Many like interacting with others FTF● Some students equate online courses with “not
really teaching”● Many admitted they preferred FTF because they
were unable to keep up with online course demands
● RELEVANCY of learning was key and noted by many
Preliminary Findings
● Q1 & Q2: Many instructors and students see hybrid as a “best of both worlds”
● Q1 & Q2: Instructor-student interaction is more valued by students than student-student interaction
● Q1 & Q3: Students believe they are far more prepared than faculty perceive - big differences in expectations
● Q3: Quality learning experiences with relevant course topics and no “busywork” are keys to success and help time management
Instructor Perceptions - High School
● Survey: http://goo.gl/forms/1a5wt6kbSM
● Preliminary Responses: 25 (n=35)
● Mix of full-time and part-time instructors
● 0-2 years of online teaching experience
Key Findings
Statement: I believe that students can learn the same amount in an online course as in a traditional course:
Key Findings
Statement: I believe that instructors who are responsive to students’ questions/needs are essential to their success in online courses:
Key Findings
Statement: I believe that my students can cope with the demands of online courses:
Technical Demands: Pedagogical Demands:
Qualitative Feedback from Faculty
● To improve engagement, simulate face-to-face student-teacher interaction
● Course introduction is key for student success
● Need to mitigate student difficulty in following directions
● Need to create more authentic assessments
Student Perceptions - High School
Data/comments from course “reaction sheet”:● 96% prefer online exams, 4% prefer
paper exams● Preferred the one-on-one interaction
with instructor in online courses● Enjoyed the flexibility of online courses
Giving Students What They Need
● Assessment performance versus actual deep subject learning may lead some instructors and students to find online learning inadequate
● Real-world cases and authentic assessment may help bridge the gap
● Set the stage with objectives and navigation instructions for the LMS
Best Practices in Online Course Design
At the start of the course, provide the following:
● Clear expectations of workload, participation/interaction, and competencies gained by end of course. Pacing guides.
● An explanation of the course structure (e.g. number of modules) and navigation with screenshots.
● A list of technical requirements and programs they may need
● Links to free online tutorials and videos on various applications they’ll likely use in their assignments.
Best Practices in Online Course Design
Throughout the course, do the following:
● Coach them on time management skills (a skill that many students lack). Students are self-paced, but shouldn’t be left alone completely. Encourage and periodically check in on them.
● Explain differences between using technology for academic writing/research and social networking.
● Use announcements for reminders about deadlines and pacing (remind them of the pacing guides).
● Use discussion boards for frequent interaction. Post news articles, blog posts, videos, podcasts, anything intriguing that will motivate them and keep their interest!
Next Steps for Institutions
● Faculty need better and more comprehensive training in pedagogy and effective course design
● Institutional PD should focus on helping faculty establish common learning outcomes
● Students need to understand the demands of school
● Standardization of course design may be the future for successful online/hybrid courses
Examples
Several examples of activities from online and hybrid courses that reflect best practices
ReferencesAtkinson, R. K., Derry, S. J., Renkl, A., & Wortham, D. (2000). Learning from examples: Instructional principles from the worked examples research. Review of Educational Research, 70(2), 181-214. doi: 10.3102/00346543070003281Bernard, R.M., Abrami, P.C., Lou, Y., Borokhovski, E. Wade, A., Wozney, L., . . . Huang, B. (2004). How does distance education compare with classroom instruction? A meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 379-439. doi: 10.3102/00346543074003379Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., & Cocking, R.R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school: Expanded edition. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368
Carr, N. (2011). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. New York: W.W. Norton.Dray, B.J. Lowenthal, P.R., Miszkiewicz, M.J. Ruiz-Primo, M.A., & Marczynski, K. (2011). Developing an instrument to assess student readiness for online learning: A validation study. Distance Education, 32(1), 29-47. doi: 10.1080/01587919.2011.565496
ReferencesKerr, M.S., Rynearson, K., & Kerr, M.C. (2006). Student characteristics for online learning success. Internet and Higher Education, 9, 91-105. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2006.03.002 Merrill, M.D. (2012). First principles of instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Nicholas, A. (2008). Preferred learning methods of the millennial generation. Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers. Paper 18. http://digitalcommons.salve.edu/fac_staff_pub/18Poellhuber, B., & Anderson, T. (2011). Distance students’ readiness for social media and collaboration. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(6). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1018Prensky, M. (2014). The world needs a new curriculum. Educational Technology, 54(3). Retrieved from http://marcprensky.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Prensky-5-The-World_Needs_a_New_Curriculum.pdf. Trekles, A., & Sims, R. (2013). Designing instruction for speed: Qualitative insights into instructional design for accelerated online graduate coursework. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 16(4). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/%7Edistance/ojdla/winter164/trekles_sims164.html.
ReferencesTrekles Milligan, A., & Buckenmeyer, J. (2008). Assessing students for online learning. International Journal on E-Learning, 7(3), 449-461.van Merriënboer, J.J.G., & Sluijsmans, D.M.A. (2009). Toward a synthesis of cognitive load theory, four-component instructional design, and self-directed learning. Educational Psychology Review, 21(1), 55-66. doi:10.1007/s10648-008-9092-5
Wilson, W., & Gerber, L.E. (2008). How generational theory can improve teaching: Strategies for working with the “millennials.” Currents in Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 29-44. Retrieved from http://www.worcester.edu/currents/archives/volume_1_number_1/currentsv1n1wilsonp29.pdf
For More Information
For additional resources, visit our Google site:
Online Student Readinesshttps://sites.google.com/site/onlinestudentreadiness/
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