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Early Attrition among First Time eLearners: A Review of Factors that Contribute to Drop... - 1 views

  • Some have reported attrition from eLearning as high as 70 - 80% (Flood 2002, Forrester 2000, in Dagger & Wade, 2004). Parker (1999) argues that “With the growth of distance education has come the problem of exceedingly high attrition rates”. Citing Carter (1996), she suggests that eLearning student attrition in some institutions is exceeds 40%, while others (Frankola, 2001). Diaz (2002), put it at between 20 - 50%,  and Carr (2000), estimate it to be 10% - 20% higher than for traditional on-campus education.
  • learners in employment bring a different set of needs, strategies and motivations to the learning process.
  • frequently geographically removed from the learning resources, information sources, learner peers and Tutors compared to their on-campus peers
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  • Employed adults tend to complete eLearning in their personal time due to workload pressures in the workplace and/or Internet access issues at work
  • Cognitive Load Theory
  • states that learning is initially processed in working memory
  • Learning complex or technically demanding material requires building mental models or cognitive schemas about the subject being studied or the skill being developed over time
  • Learning new material or a skill, for which a schema in long term memory is undeveloped or non-existent, can cause working memory to quickly overload its limited capacity. This overloading can result in a learner becoming highly anxious and losing confidence, which in turn can lead to the learning process, in effect, freezing and the learner being unable to continue.  
  •  “Digital literacy involves more than the ability to use software or operate a digital device; it includes a large variety of complex cognitive, motor, sociological and emotional skills, which users need in order to function effectively in digital environments.”
  • It is this author’s experience in designing, developing and delivering several eLearning programmes to public sector employees in New Zealand, that a face to face workshop prior the start of the online distance course can make a significant difference to a first time eLearner’s perception and experience of eLearning. 
  • This type of pre-course face-to-face induction workshop can also be used to foster the group’s sense of itself, and to identify the individual participants and their backgrounds, along with their expectations and concerns. It is also helpful to have the course design, structure and philosophy explained and to discuss anxieties associated with beginning an online course.
  • The multi
  • al learning tasks of the first time eLearner
  • dimension
  • (1) negotiating the technology; (2) negotiating the course website; (3) negotiating the course content (4) becoming an eLearner (5) negotiating CMC interaction.
  • come to terms with the computing technologies involved.
  • develop a mental model of the content structure and navigation system in order to find his/her way around
  • engage with the learning materials, readings, activities and assessments that make up a programme of study
  • Confronting the actual content and of becoming a learner again.
  • anxiety
  • abandon his/her existing mental model of what it is to be a learner in a formal learning situation
  • embrace a model based on a self-directed and motivated learner
  • undertake the learning tasks involved in interacting with peers via synchronous and asynchronous Computer Mediated Communication
  • Successfully negotiating this early experience depends very much on the relevant skills, circumstances, motivations and personal attributes of the learner. It follows then, that paying particular attention to how an eLearning course is structured and introduced and the manner in which the learner is inducted can make a very important difference in a learner deciding whether or not to engage and persist or to drop out. 
  • actually apprising learners of the issues of cognitive overload and how it is commonly experienced would go some way towards inoculating learners against its more pernicious effects.
  • Supporting learners till they are over the initial “eLearning learning-curve hump”, may involve a seemingly high level of resource and effort on the part of the course facilitator and associated programme administration staff, but the payoff is that fewer learners will drop out at the early stage.
  • Actively supporting, encouraging, gently cajoling and following up on learners who seem to be struggling will help to keep wavering learners in the course.
  • In terms of the actual course design and the structure of the materials and learning activities, then it is a useful practice to aim to start slowly and build the course tempo over time.
  • The one area where something may be done to reduce attrition is in the early stages of an online course.
  • Cognitive overload is a likely contributor to high drop out rates, particularly where those withdrawing do so within the first few weeks of the start of a course.  Greater levels of persistence and completions may be achieved if learners are supported to anticipate, prepare for, recognise and recover from the cognitive burden they may experience as first time eLearners.   
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    Looks at why some students don't make it through online courses- many first time online students are unsure what to expect and are just overwhelmed by the whole experience.
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    The experience of the first-time online learner is qualified. Suggestions for decreasing early attrition are suggested.
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    Attrition among mature adult online learners is affected by sociological, psychological, technical and cognitive factors, critical features of which are the notions of cognitive load and locus of control.
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Putting Students in the Driver's Seat: Projects to Decrease Passivity | Faculty Focus - 0 views

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    Passivity still seems to be the norm for most college courses: students passively try to learn information from teachers who unwittingly cultivate a passive attitude in their learners. As the subject matter experts, many faculty are reluctant to give up some control. We know the material, there's a lot to cover, and let's face it, going the lecture route is often just plain easier for everyone. We "get through" the material, and students aren't pressed to do anything more than sit back and take notes. Teacher and student thus become complicit in creating a passive learning environment.
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Universities Team With Online Course Provider - NYTimes.com - 0 views

  • At SUNY, which has 468,000 students at 64 campuses, the Coursera partnership is tied to Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher’s announcement this year of Open SUNY, an online effort to enroll 100,000 new students and make it possible for a quarter of them to earn a degree in three years.
    • Hedy Lowenheim
       
      Great to see that SUNY is partnering up with Coursera! This is a very exciting development for the world of online learning!
  • “We hope this will help public universities do more with the less they’re getting in state support,” Dr. Koller said.
    • Hedy Lowenheim
       
      Public education funding seems to be in constant jeopardy these days. Adding distance learning classes at an extremely low price has the potential to bring college level classes to students who might never have had the opportunity to attend a university.
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  • Some faculty resistance has emerged recently against using online materials, even if they are blended with classroom work. This week, 58 Harvard professors wrote a letter seeking the creation of a new committee to consider the ethical issues related to edX and its impact on higher education.
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    Universities Team With Online Course Provider By TAMAR LEWIN "In a move that could open online classes to 1.25 million students at public institutions, a California company is forming partnerships with 10 large state university systems."
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Utah Local News - Salt Lake City News, Sports, Archive - The Salt Lake Tribune - 0 views

    • Luke Fellows
       
      Online learning feeds into sensory and individual needs.
  • He sits on a silver exercise ball, rather than a hard school chair
  • but can also learn in the living room or in the basement by hooking up the computer to a television
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  • directing his attention away and back to his iPhone.
  • the steady diet of sensory input helps David feel grounded and focus,
  • But for the first time, she says, David will now get motivated and do some tasks on his own.
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http://www.mentormob.com/hosted/cards/71141_b44ac5ed2dac0a90985e4d8a0c2901b3.pdf - 0 views

    • Heather Kurto
       
      z, 'Colleges and universities ought to be concerned not with how fast they can "put their courses on the Web" but with finding out how this technology can be used to build and sustain learning communities' (1998, p. 7). Furthermore, the world's increasing dependence on lifelong access to new knowledge is transforming the landscape of higher education and forcing the academy to rethink virtually all of its systems and traditions (Rowly et al., 1998).
    • Heather Kurto
       
      Criticalness - looking at the underlying assumptions, looking at theory base; * Scholarship - quality of the writing/discourse community. Ability to use language to refer to other people such as other scholars. Are we referencing each other? Are we learning from each other?; * Connection to experiences - building on our learning from ideas and concepts gained from our experiences as educators and learners; and * Professionalism - acting professionally, using the correct grammar and contributing on time (Article No. 78)
    • Heather Kurto
       
      My objectives in developing this course were twofold. Firstly, the aim was to promote interactions amongst learners and to promote interactions between the learners and myself. Secondly, the aim was to create a student-centred approach to learning where students could own their learning and feel a sense of responsibility towards their own and the learning of others. 
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    • Heather Kurto
       
      Using social constructivism as a referent for my teaching approach, I encouraged students to engage in peer learning through focused discourse that was based on the theoretical ideas they read and shared with others. It was made clear to the students that the unit, and in particular the Activity Room (as the hub of the unit), was designed based on social constructivist theory to enhance opportunities for peer learning
    • Heather Kurto
       
      Are you helping your peers to improve?  * How are you continuing/promoting the conversation? Conversation suggests a 'dialogue', a going back and forth rather than merely a one-way-one-time posting. 
    • Heather Kurto
       
      When borne out in practice, social constructivism can be facilitated through activities that involve peer-learning, reflective thinking and the joint construction of knowledge.
    • Heather Kurto
       
      students also need induction on how to work on line. In particular, they need scaffolding in relation to collaborative learning and reflective thinking, which are the more challenging, yet, elusive aspects of online learning.
    • Heather Kurto
       
      y, systems need to be set up in order that students can easily collaborate and benefit from the advantages of the technology that is available
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The Learning Styles, Expectations, and Needs of Online Students - 0 views

    • Heather Kurto
       
      Seventy-nine percent of the students expected the assignments they submit to be graded "immediately," and if that is not possible, "at least [in] two business days," but not later than the "following week
    • Heather Kurto
       
      The students needed to feel that they are "important and valued participants in the class, even though [they are] separated from instructor and other participants by distance and/or time. W
    • Heather Kurto
       
      technical help, flexible and understanding instructors, advance course information, and sample assignments
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    • Heather Kurto
       
      Fredericksen et al. feel that "if the turn-around time on student requests for assistance is plainly communicated and consistently applied, student disappointment, anxiety, and confusion can be reduced and satisfaction and learning can be increased" (2000, 25).
    • Heather Kurto
       
      Successful online students are expected to have access to necessary hardware and software, and to be minimally proficient in using the technology. They also must communicate through writing, have selfmotivation, and self-discipline. They need to commit sufficient time per week to course work, and they must speak up if problems arise (Howland and Moore 2002; Huber and Lowry 2003
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Hedy's reflective blog | Online course blog - 0 views

  • I feel like I have already learned a great deal.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      what did you learn?
    • Hedy Lowenheim
       
      To start with many new Web 2.0 tools, that pre-occupied me for a major part of the first week of class. No doubt I struggled with setting up the blog, learning diigo, voicethread, etc. But throughout the frustration, I really enjoyed learning how to use these new tools and very happy to now have them in my elearning toolset! It is very exciting to see all of the great interactive tools available on the web to aid with online teaching an learning!
  • http://ualbany.mrooms.net/file.php/242/readings/v8n3_pelz.pdf http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-role-of-questions-in-teaching-thinking-and-learning/524
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      hedy: can you make links live in your blog? they make interaction and reading your blog more engaging. : )
  • Maree’s post.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      self assessment???
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Sensation-Seeking | Education.com - 0 views

    • William Meredith
       
      Not applicable to higher education?
  • Nevertheless, these students still pay attention to tasks, activities, and media messages that are low in sensation-value, if the topic is particularly salient to them. For example, individuals may attend to a seemingly boring documentary on cancer research, if they have close relatives or friends who is suffering from the disease; they may attend to a lecture on the stock market if they have just received the gift of a larger sum of money.
  • Students with a high sensation needs benefit from instructional practices that meet those needs. It certainly is not possible to meet the needs of these students at all times, but some lessons can be altered to better hold their attention.
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  • benefit from changes in daily routines
  • hese adaptations include: (a) the use of dramatic role-playing activities (including the videotaping of such activities), (b) the incorporation of videos and music into traditional lessons, (c) the inclusion of outside speakers with real-world experiences, and (d) the opportunity for students to facilitate conversations and activities in the classrooms
  • Third, educators need to be aware that students with high sensation needs may also experience problems with behavior in the classroom. These students are more likely to get out of their seats, to talk to their neighbors, and to seek attention from the teacher. Thus targeting students with high needs for sensation early on and setting up classroom contexts to provide for these students' needs may alleviate some potential behavioral problems in the classroom.
  • Sensation-seeking is characterized by researchers as a basic human need and as a component of human personality. The need for sensation runs along a continuum, wherein some individuals have a high need for sensation, whereas others have a low need for sensation.
  • The concept of sensation-seeking primarily has been studied in the domains of clinical psychology, personality psychology, health psychology, and communications. From an evolutionary perspective, attention to novel stimuli in the environment was necessary for human survival
  • Individuals who have high sensation needs typically engage in certain predictable behaviors. Most notably, the research indicates that individuals who exhibit a high need for sensation often are more likely to engage in risky or dangerous behaviors, such as abusing substances and having unprotected sexual intercours
  • Research indicates that sensation-seeking rises markedly during early adolescence (Donohew et al., 1994). For many adolescents, this increase coincides with the transition from elementary school into middle school. Thus although students with high needs for sensation are present in elementary, middle, and high schools, these students may be particularly prevalent in middle school settings.
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Teach - 0 views

  • The M-BOD scenarios sketched out above differ from those described in the EL section in that the former take seriously the role of desire in student learning. In the M-BOD scenarios, students resource their creative and dramatic selves to become their own guides in working out the meaning(s) of History, ethics, bullying, etc. This learning is “deep” because it involves the body in several ways: Sometimes bodies actually get up and move through space (i.e., the walking dance or doing field research) Students are prompted to respond to situations more than follow directions; these situations require them to “read” other people and multiple texts and contexts Students’ formal presentations (their strategic, other-directed productions) elicit actual responses from people, which (whether good or bad, or a mix) then require some expression and reflection Back to Discussion of "Situating M-BOD"       Preface One: Situating Embodied Learning Two: Case Study: Oliver Identity and Learning: “Follow What I Am Doing: Do The Rules That I’m Doing: It’s Very CoM-pli-cated” Improvisational/Feedback "1,2,3...16, 17,18, NineTEEN" Innovation: “I Can Look At Your Cards” Producelike Behavior: "Why Do The Make Queen Better Than Jack?" Conclusion: "The Bricolage, The Music, The Movement" Three: Implications for the Literacy Autobiography Assignment              
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    example of embodied learning and distinguishing it from traditional learning and experiential learning
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Teaching Students with Special Needs: Advice for Teachers (Grades K-12) - TeacherVision... - 0 views

  • A learning disabled student …
  • Use these appropriate strategies with learning disabled students:
  • Present tests and reading materials in an oral format so the assessment is not unduly influenced by lack of reading ability.
    • Erin Fontaine
       
      You could try using voice to text service, set up chat sessions, even meet in person to conduct evaluations
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  • frequent progress checks.
    • Erin Fontaine
       
      Great way to utilize the Act. Report feature in Moodle
  • immediate feedback
  • Make activities concise and short
  • Learning disabled youngsters have difficulty learning abstract terms and concepts. Whenever possible, provide them with concrete objects and events—items they can touch, hear, smell, etc.
    • Erin Fontaine
       
      This will be my hardest, how do you accomodate everyone, with every thing they need?
  • provide specific praising comments that link the activity directly with the recognition
  • offer information in both written and verbal formats
  • Create an atmosphere in which a true “community of learners” is facilitated and enhanced.
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Managing Virtual Adjunct Faculty: Applying the Seven Principles of Good Practice - 0 views

  • Virtual adjunct faculty have largely carried higher education into the cyber classroom. Adjunct faculty have always been broadly used in higher education, especially in the community college setting. Nationally, adjuncts teach 30-50% of all credit courses. At community colleges, adjuncts compose about 60% of all faculty (Gappa and Leslie, 1993).
  • About 80% of all online course offerings are taught by virtual adjuncts. About 70% of the active 250 adjuncts teaching in the program reside in the state of Florida , and the other half in assorted states.
  • As colleges and universities work steadily to get full-time faculty onboard with distance learning, virtual adjuncts have eagerly stepped up to fill the void, thereby enabling institutions to respond promptly to market demand.
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  • Having familiar, collegial, and multiple points of contact helps them develop and maintain the confidence they need to be successful teachers. And, mentoring is a proven-effective strategy for support, improvement, and community building.
  • . Adjuncts who know that they are working for a professional organization are more likely to feel a sense of pride in their affiliation, and feel accountable to the institution.
  • These required training opportunities allow new adjuncts to actively learn about FCCJ's instructional culture, and build community with other instructors. They actively discuss their teaching experiences, best practices, learn new strategies for teaching online, and apply those strategies to the courses they are currently teaching.
  • In the online environment, Virtual Adjuncts need to know clearly what the institution's expectations are of them, and whether they are meeting those expectations. There is very little continuity among contemporary online programs, and each institution has its own instructional priorities, goals, constituencies, and definitions of excellence. Many adjuncts teach simultaneously at multiple institutions, and so it is important to define expectations clearly.
  • Peer-based sharing is the most effective model for the professional learning community
  • Maria Puzziferro-Schnitzer
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    How to manage a growing cadre of online adjuncts.  Provides great numbers on percentages of adjuncts.
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216.pdf (application/pdf Object) - 2 views

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    Good article on the issues of retention and the number of students who end up dropping and the reasons why
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Laura Bush Foundation For America's Libraries - 0 views

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    Grants Will Help 241 School Libraries Buy Books Dallas, TX - Today The Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries announced that 241 school libraries are being awarded $1,086,926 in grants for 2011. The schools receive grants of up to $5,000 to expand, update and diversify their library book collections.
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Teaching Tip - 0 views

  • Students write 4 statements; 3 of the statements are truths about themselves or some aspect of their lives, and 1 of the statements is a lie. Students read their list out loud in class and the rest of the class try to guess the lie. This activity ALWAYS works and is a great way for you to get a glimpse of your students as individuals. The process works both ways, i.e., you should also participate in the activity.
  • This can be used in two different ways. In my classes, I have students list 10 books they would take with them if they were marooned on a desert island. Students share their lists with each other. (I sometimes use this as one of the first posts to my online class blog instead of in the classroom.) As a group activity, I ask students to gather in groups of 4 or 5 and come up with a list of 5 items they would take with them if they were marooned (the group as a whole can only bring 5 items). Groups read their lists out loud and justify their choices.
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    ice breaking activities
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Only 7 Percent of Teachers Believe in Standardized Tests - Education - GOOD - 0 views

  • only 7 percent of educators see standardized tests as being essential.
  • With standardized tests, students often don’t get their results until months after they’ve taken them—which often ends up being after the school year is over, making them much less useful to the learning process.
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    despite the number of standardized testing, educators don't see the point
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Communicative Language Teaching: An Introduction and Sample Activities. ERIC Digest. - 0 views

  • the communicative approach can leave students in suspense as to the outcome of a class exercise, which will vary according to their reactions and responses.
  • Students' motivation to learn comes from their desire to communicate in meaningful ways about meaningful topics.
  • Most likely they have an opinion of the topic, and a class discussion could follow, in the target language, about their experiences and viewpoints.
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  • They are responding in German to a question in German. They do not know the answers beforehand, as they are each holding cards with their new identities written on them; hence, there is an authentic exchange of information.
  • The teacher sets up the exercise, but because the students' performance is the goal, the teacher must step back and observe, sometimes acting as referee or monitor.
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Ryman, Burrell, Hardham, Richardson, & Ross, 2009 - 0 views

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    Research has shown that learning can be profoundly and personally transformative in online communities (Ryman, Burrell, Hardham, Richardson, & Ross, 2009).
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A Follow-Up Investigation of "Teaching Presence" in the SUNY Learning Network | The Slo... - 0 views

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    Shea, Pickett, and Pelz (2003) describe three components to teaching presence: Instructional Design and Organization, Facilitating Discourse, and Direct Instruction.
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