Functions, use and effects of embedded support devices in printed distance learning materials

Martens, Rob

doi:10.1016/0959-4752(95)00017-8

Cited by 10 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The previous reported questionnaire return rates indicate a high dropout rate, but this is not uncommon in distance education (Martens, 1998). A specific comparison of course dropout reveals no differences between conditions.…”

Section: Content Analysis Corroborates This Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 92%

Designing electronic collaborative learning environments

Kirschner

Strijbos

Kreijns

et al. 2004

ETR&D

341

230

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Designing Environments for Collaborative E-learning 3 Designing Electronic Collaborative Learning EnvironmentsCurrent research on and design of collaborative learning environments -often referred to as Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Environments -tends to focus on surface level characteristics. Educational researchers and designers are busy, for example, determining optimal group size for problem-based education as opposed to project-centered learning. To determine optimal group size, students' collaborative efforts and the results of these efforts are compared for groups of varying size in different educational settings. This approach resembles comparative research on the use of different media in education that was strongly -and we had hoped definitively -criticized by both Clark (1983) and Reeves (1993).Such research focuses on the media used and surface characteristics of the education provided. This surface level approach disavows the fundamental differences between the real determinants of learning and behavior in education and results in learning materials that are unreliable or even mathemathantic.A second problem is that educational institutions tend to apply traditional classroom ideas and pedagogy in non-contiguous collaborative learning environments, assuming that since these environments allow the interaction that we see in the classroom (e.g., chat, realtime meetings, and shared applications) traditional pedagogy can be used. Unfortunately these environments do not support such interactions in the same way that it occurs in face-to-face (i.e., time delay, lack of complete sensory contact, non-availability of off task activities, et cetera). The proximate result is often disgruntled or disappointed students and instructors, motivation that is quickly extinguished, poorly used environments, wasted time and money, and showcase environments that are often not much more than computer assisted page turning. The ultimate result is very similar to the first problem, no learning since the students tend to give up. Designing Environments for Collaborative E-learning 4The solution is as simple as it is elegant, namely attending not only to the technological prerequisites for collaboration (i.e., the technological environment), but also to the educational and social prerequisites for allowing collaboration to occur (i.e., the pedagogy and the social dynamics respectively). The educational part would take care of the first problem, namely choosing the right pedagogy to achieve one's aims and that take the characteristics of the media into account. The social part would enrich the chosen pedagogy by adding that element usually, almost automatically existent in contiguous learning, namely group formation and social dynamics within the group. This article provides a framework for designing such collaborative environments based upon the three prerequisites. It then goes into somewhat greater depth with respect to three non-surface level educational factors central to collaboration, namely task own...

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Section: Content Analysis Corroborates This Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 92%

Designing electronic collaborative learning environments

Kirschner

Strijbos

Kreijns

et al. 2004

ETR&D

341

230

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The course was successfully completed by 43 students (53.8 %), of which 33 returned both the intake and evaluation questionnaire (76.7 %). These figures indicate a high dropout rate, but this is not uncommon in a distance education context (Martens, 1998).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Functional Roles on Group Efficiency

Strijbos

Martens

Jochems

et al. 2004

Small Group Research

167

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. The effect of functional roles on group efficiency: Using multilevel modeling and content analysis to investigate computer-supported collaboration in small groups. Small Group Research, 35, Netherlands. E-mail: jan-willem.strijbos@ou.nlThe effect of functional roles on group efficiency 3 3 Abstract The usefulness of 'roles' as a pedagogical approach to support small group performance can be often read, however, their effect is rarely empirically assessed. Roles promote cohesion and responsibility and decrease so-called 'process losses' caused by coordination demands. In addition, roles can increase awareness of intra-group interaction. In this article, the effect of functional roles on group performance, efficiency and collaboration during computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) was investigated with questionnaires and quantitative content analysis of e-mail communication. A comparison of thirty-three questionnaire observations, distributed over ten groups in two research conditions: role (n = 5, N = 14) and non-role (n = 5, N = 19), revealed no main effect for performance (grade). A latent variable was interpreted as 'perceived group efficiency' (PGE). Multilevel modelling (MLM) yielded a positive marginal effect of PGE. Groups in the role condition appear to be more aware of their efficiency, compared to groups in the 'non-role' condition, regardless whether the group performs well or poor. Content analysis reveals that students in the role condition contribute more 'task content' focussed statements. This is, however, not as hypothesised due to the premise that roles decrease coordination and thus increase content focused statements; in fact, roles appear to stimulate coordination and simultaneously the amount of 'task content' focussed statements increases.The effect of functional roles on group efficiency 4 4 The effect of functional roles on group efficiency: Using multilevel modelling and content analysis to investigate computer-supported collaboration in small groups.Since the 1970s small group dynamics have been intensively studied in educational contexts.Cooperative learning research focused initially on face-to-face cooperation at the elementary school level, but was gradually extended to college and higher education settings. Design of cooperative learning pedagogy focused on promoting group cohesion and group responsibility to increase promotive intra-group interaction. Due to the technology push in the 1980s, resulting Nevertheless, several researchers also identify large variations in the quality of interaction and learning outcomes (Häkkinen, Järvelä, & Byman, 2001; Lehtinen, Hakkarainen, Lipponen, Rahikainen, & Muukkonen, 1999). On the one hand, these are caused by differencesThe effect of functional roles on group efficiency 5 5 in length of studies, technology used, group size, as well as, differences in research methodology and the unit of analysis (Lipponen, 2001). On the other hand, the outcome of small group collaboration is mediated by the quality of group processes (Shaw, 19...

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“…In independent learning situations, once the tasks have been delivered to the students, there is relatively little control over student perception (Martens, 1998).…”

Section: -9-metacognitive Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A rapid fall in prices and a huge leap in the processing capacity of PCs and the proliferation of the World Wide Web have unleashed new opportunities for useful educational applications (Martens, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Learning Design in Distance Education: The impact on student perception and motivation

2007

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Many forms of e-learning (such as online courses with authentic tasks and computer-supported collaborative learning) have become important in distance education. Very often, such e-learning courses or tasks are set up following constructivist design principles. Often, this leads to learning environments with authentic problems in ill-structured tasks that are supposed to motivate students. However, constructivist design principles are difficult to implement because developers must be able to predict how students perceive the tasks and whether the tasks motivate the students. The research in this article queries some of the assumed effects. It presents a study that provides increased insight into the actual perception of electronic authentic learning tasks. The main questions are how students learn in such e-learning environments with "virtual" reality and authentic problems and how they perceive them. To answer these questions, in two e-learning programs developed at the Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL) designers' expectations were contrasted with student perceptions. The results show a gap between the two, for students experience much less authenticity than developers assume.

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Functions, use and effects of embedded support devices in printed distance learning materials

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Designing electronic collaborative learning environments

Designing electronic collaborative learning environments

The Effect of Functional Roles on Group Efficiency

New Learning Design in Distance Education: The impact on student perception and motivation

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