Effective eLearning and eTeaching — A Theoretical Model

Abstract

Distance learning is increasingly becoming an option for learners that were previously denied higher education opportunities due to elitist systems, cost, academic preparation, or personal circumstances. It is also a means to help nations meet goals to increase the percentage of individuals with post-secondary education in order to address workforce needs. However, learners and instructors often have concerns with their ability to be successful in a distance learning environment. This chapter presents a theoretical model for eLearning and eTeaching aimed at helping learners and instructors successfully navigate distance learning courses. Examples of course activities corresponding to the model components are shared. A qualitative analysis of learner self-reflections demonstrates the efficacy of the model in terms of increased autonomy, self-regulation, and targeted skills.

E-Teaching in Higher Education: An Essential Prerequisite for E-Learning

“…The roles of teachers in an online environment differ meaningfully from their traditional roles in a classroom setting. Most teachers and professors do not possess nowadays a sufficient digital literacy and do not utilize the wide range of capabilities which the technology enables (Andrade, 2015;Benson & Brack, 2009;Educational Testing Service, 2009;Guri-Rosenblit & Gros, 2011).…”

“…Teachers worldwide are used to operating as "soloists", having the overall responsibility for their courses from the initial stage of planning the structure and pedagogics of the content they purport to teach, through the actual teaching to the evaluation phase. Online courses usually necessitate the collaboration with other professionals and/or colleagues, and the mastery of different course design skills (Andrade, 2015;Bates & Sangra, 2011;Benson & Brack, 2009;Educational Testing Service, 2009;Gradinarova, 2015;Guri-Rosenblit, 2010;Hislop & Ellis, 2004;Power & Gould-Morven, 2011;Wilson et al, 2004). Academics will have to become in the future reconciled with collaborating with other colleagues and professionals in designing materials and in the teaching process.…”

“…Academics will have to become in the future reconciled with collaborating with other colleagues and professionals in designing materials and in the teaching process. They will need to learn how to collaborate in a team framework with editors, instructional designers, television producers, computer experts, graphic production personnel, as well as with other colleagues in developing and delivering their courses (Andrade, 2015;Wilson et al, 2004). At the same time, teachers will have greater flexibility to choose the teaching styles better suited for their personal strengths and individual preferences.…”

“…In order to overcome the reluctance of many professors to use extensively the digital technologies, there exists a burning need to develop appropriate incentives and ongoing support systems available both to students and professors in the learning/teaching process (Andrade, 2015;Bates & Sangra, 2011;Guri-Rosenblit, 2010;Johnston, 2012). Already, some universities acknowledge the fact that online teaching and preparing materials for online teaching involves a great investment of time as compared to conventional teaching in classrooms.…”

“…Children could have studied at home from encyclopedias and books, at the pre-digital era, instead of going to school, if the main purpose of education was to acquire pieces of information. For most students, accessible information does not turn automatically into meaningful knowledge without the assistance of a teacher or an expert (Andrade, 2015;Benson & Brack, 2009;Educational Testing Service, 2009).…”