Module 2: Effective Practices in Online Learning

Key Concepts and Study Notes

Key Concepts

1. Online learning can be described and analyzed from a Systems perspective, and can be characterized in terms of five major dimensions:
   • Learners
   • Faculty
   • Curriculum
   • Technology, and
   • Support Services.
2. Each of these five system components needs to function effectively for the system to provide an optimal online learning experience.
3. Effective practices for online learning systems can be identified and validated through new quantitative and qualitative research and by meta-analysis that examines a broad spectrum of existing research reports.
4. Educators can use established effective practices to design online learning system that meet the specific needs of their curriculum, their learner population and other key stakeholders.

Study Notes

As you are carrying out the learning activities for this module, please keep in mind the Key Concepts summarized above and these supplementary notes.

Well-documented effective practices for online learning are summarized below. As you work through this module you may wish to use this summary as an outline for more extensive notes on these topics.

Effective practices for online learning have been identified in a number of areas, as follows:

1. Online Program Design and Develpment.
   • Program learning outcomes are developed in collabotration with important stakeholders in order to address learner, institutional and other stakeholeder needs
   • Program evaluation is an essential activity that must be integrated into design, development and delivery activities.
2. Online Pedagogy.
   • Involves a partnership between instructor and learner
   • Employs a variety of interactions – peer to peer, learner to content, learner to instructor
   • Employs and encourages group and individual feedback
   • Utilizes meaningful activities
   • Builds on existing knowledge
   • Developes from less complex/challenging to more complex/challenging knowledge and skills
   • Facilitates reflection, higher order thinking and situated cognition
   • Instructor is a facilitator of learning, evaluates learner performance and provides constructive feedback
3. Learner Assessment
   • Uses "authentic assessment" stategies
   • Requires learner to demonstrate "higher order" thinking
   • Employs a variety of assessment strategies
   • Is recognized as being an important part of the instructional/learning process
   • Requires constructive, prompt feedback
4. Online Learner Support Services
   • Admission, Registration, Learning Skills and Career Advisory services
   • Technical Support and Help Desk services
   • Orientation and User Training services
   • Prompt response and feedback on all service requests
   • Referral to additional support services is available if needed (e.g., Accessability Support
5. Online Instructor/Tutor Support Services
   • Administrative Support services
   • Orientation and User Training services
   • Technical Support and Help Desk services
6. Course Design and Development
   • Course learning outcomes are tied directly to program learning outcomes
   • Course learning objectives are tied directly to course learning outcomes
   • Learner assessment is tied to course learning outcomes and learning objectives
   • Variety in learning activities and learning modes
   • Navigation and other usability features are clear and effective
   • Design makes effective use of appropriate technology
   • Course evaluation strategies are integral to the course.