Online Courses as Effective Learning Environments or "Digital Diploma Mills": The Importance of Collaborative Learning

Keynote Address, Telelearning ‘99 Montreal Canada November

Copyright, Starr Roxanne Hiltz New Jersey Institute of Technology

Two views of Online courses A means of cutting the costs of “delivering”

educational materials to students, akin to previous use of instructional television. Post materials on the web; collect assignments; can handle thousands of students.

OR: A means of improving the quality of learning opportunities, by supporting learning communities in an anytime/anywhere environment (Learning Networks “TLN” or “ALN”)- require small classes mentored by skilled faculty members

Popular press: negative images of online courses Article title: “Wiring the Ivory

Tower: But will online courses lower standards?” Business Week, August 9, 1999

“No dorms, no sports fields, NO COSTLY PROFESSORS”

Cites UNext: Will spend $1 million a course for

video streamed lectures by “stars” Use part time instructors to answer

email and grade assignments NOT what is meant by LN!!

AFT/NEA Commissioned report on Distance Learning Asks, “What’s the difference” between

traditional and distance courses; argues there is no proof that distance/online is as good or better

Some Questions about “Differences” This Talk Will Cover: Is online collaborative learning superior to

the mass distribution of materials via the Web?

How do both models compare to traditional college level courses, in terms of process and outcomes?

What are some guidelines for maximizing the quality of research to answer these questions?

Background

Over the last 15 years, NJIT has constructed a series of computer-mediated communication systems tailored to support “anytime/ anywhere” interaction among students and instructors called “Virtual Classroom” [TM]

Used first in a variety of individual courses and then for full degree programs; and

Developed various evaluation instruments and approaches.

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Virtual ClassroomTM Project at NJIT 1993-1996 produced, delivered and evaluated

26 courses comprising the undergraduate majors in Information Systems and Computer Science, with Sloan Foundation support

Continuing: “From Virtual Classroom to Virtual University” 1997-2000 Expand the innovation to other schools

and departments and graduate degree programs

Theories for Studying Online Courses Pedagogical Theories: Objectivist (passive) vs.

Constructivist (active, collaborative) learning Media Effect theories (e.g., Media Richness,

Media Synchronicity) Group Interaction Theories (e.g., Adaptive

Structuration; Poole & DeSanctis) …LN’s are a social technology through which a

group may choose to faithfully or unfaithfully appropriate the structures provided by the technology, heuristic, environment, etc…

Premises of the NJIT studies: Online courses provide unique

opportunities to support collaborative (group based) learning

Collaborative learning is crucial to the effectiveness of online learning environments

Seminar: Students as Teachers Peer Writing Groups (Constructive Criticism) Group Projects Case study discussions Web “treasure hunts,” compilations Debates Construct an examNetworked classes

Some VARIETIES OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

The Research Process

… a series of interlocking choices in which we try simultaneously to maximize

several conflicting choices…

Key choices generalizability with respect to populations realism for the participants precision in control and measurement of variables

McGrath, 1982

Methodological Tradeoffs

Large sample surveys can maximize generalizability Laboratory Experiments can maximize precision of

control Field experiments can maximize realism Qualitative Methods can maximize depth of

understanding ( the “why”) “Triangulation” or multiple methods maximize overall

validity of results Replication of results in different settings provides

generalizability

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Questionnaire Data (1993- 1996 completed project) Total Responses (sometimes partial): Virtual Classroom + video: 698 VC + FtF: 463 No VC: 268 Question Form: Please compare online

classes to your previous experiences with “face to face” college - level courses. To what extent do you agree with the following statements...

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Taking Online Classes is More Convenient (73% agree)

37 36

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Having the computerized conferencing system available provided better access to the professor(s). (65% agree)

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Did use of the system increase the quality of your education? (58% agree; +22% Same)

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Definitely Yes = 1 N = 617 Definitely Not = 7

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“Virtual Classroom Overall” Index Items included: 1. VC Increases Quality 2. Better learning 3. Learned More 4. Would not take another VC 5. Would have gotten more from a

traditional class 6. VC increases efficiency of learning

Chronbach’s Alpha = .85

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Correlations with VC Overall (Pearson’s) All significant at least at .01 level;

n= about 523 Collaboration Index .30 Better Access to Professor .46 Felt more involved in taking active

part .54

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Conclusions based on field trials

LNs DO tend to increase access to educational opportunities, efficiency (speed of completion) of the degree, and quality of educational experience as subjectively reported This is conditional on a number of factors, including active

participation by the student, and communicating/ collaborating with classmates

No Significant Differences in Course Grades between traditional and LN sections

Replication: Similar results from U. of Illinois, Drexel, SUNY, U. of Central

Florida, etc. E.g. Drexel: 95% felt they had better access to Prof

Vast majority of students report that LN courses are “better” in terms of access and learning

Student evaluations strongly correlated with amount on online interaction with professor and with other students

BUT: In terms of the relationship between

Collaborative Learning and the effectiveness of LNs, “correlation is not causation”

Triangulation: One course in the project, Computers and Society, was selected for a field experiment Effects of Computer-Mediated Communication on

Learning, Performance and Satisfaction: A Comparison of Groups and Individuals Solving Ethical Scenarios, A thesis by: Raquel Benbunan

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TASK SELECTION

Discussion and solution of computer ethics scenarios

Decision-making task, completed by writing a report on analysis and recommendations for action

Key knowledge in the course and on the final exam

RESEARCH METHODS

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EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

MANUAL ONLINE

INDIV.IM 44 subjects IOL 42 subjects

GROUPSGFtF 28 subjects(5 groups)

GOL 22 subjects(5 groups)

Distribution of Subjects across Conditions

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Mean Final exam scores on ethics, (GPA as covariant)

Manual On-line

Individuals 71.83 64.64 68.23

Groups 73.97 70.19 72.08

72.90 67.42

Length of the Reports

Mean Words byCondition

Manual Online

Individuals 380 462 421

Groups 390 756 573

386 609 481

Model F = 8.98 p = .0001 ***Teamwork Effect F = 11.60 p = .0009 ***Online Effect F = 21.10 p = .0001 ***Interaction Effect F = 10.02 p = .002 **

** = Significant at p < .01; *** = Significant at p<.001

Triangulation: Faculty Views Semi-Structured Interviews with 20 NJIT Faculty

Those faculty who utilized group/collaborative

learning and obtained active participation in discussions online tend to perceive that students learn more online than in the traditional classroom; those who did not make online discussions and group work a central course activity did not

Replication: SUNY faculty- 47% felt online students learned more; 46% saw no difference; only a few thought the classroom performed better

Faculty Workload and Satisfaction- 100 SUNY faculty (1999)

Preparation time: 43% said “much more” and 41% said “more” than traditional classroom

Teaching time: 25% said “much more” and 39% “more”

Teacher-student interaction: 52% more or much more; 31% the same

Would they do it again: 99 yes

Summary and Conclusions:Summary and Conclusions: Each of the three NJIT studies has its methodological

weaknesses, but taken together they solidly support the conclusions that 1.L N courses can be as effective or more effective than

traditional classrooms, in terms of access and learning outcomes.

2. Collaborative learning designs are more effective for online learning than individuals working alone with materials posted online.

Data from other universities replicate the findings.

What’s the Difference? It’s the pedagogy, stupid!!

A Challenge We Share Answer the critics with data: Replicate,

Triangulate, INNOVATE

For More Info: Roxanne’s home page:

http://eies.njit.edu/~hiltz WWW.ALN.ORG