523.1.2 – Optimal online course traits

Dear Reader,

Welcome back! Our MALAT cohort has returned to the blogosphere and today’s post reviews the first third of Weller’s 25 years in Ed Tech, a historical summary of educational technology since 1994. Each chapter explores one fundamental discovery or change relevant to a given year and helps remind us just how quickly technology has developed in the recent past. This first post reviews the opening eight chapters of the book, from the era of digital bulletin boards in 1994, to the acknowledgment and adoption of eLearning modules, computer-mediated communication (CMC) and constructivist educational design by 2001.

In my role as an NCCP Coach Developer, we use a mix of in-person and online modules to help coaches develop the skills necessary to provide safe learning environments for Canadians of all ages. In 2020, quadrennial updates to our most popular coach development pathway took place. Fortunately, our update cycle corresponded with the Covid-shutdown, and our team quickly incorporated numerous changes that helped us facilitate one of our most successful coach development seasons ever. But what elements of the new pathway worked? And why? And how can we make it even better?

In chapter 4, Weller (2020) explored traits that may help formulate an optimally designed online course. Carr-Chellman and Duschatel (2000) suggested six key attributes, including a comprehensive study guide, assignments that help students experience the primary learning theory in use, examples of previous work, and so on.  This was very interesting to me. For this post, I’ve contrasted this list with the various changes and characteristics that my coach development team and I have incorporated into our recent program revisions. Our recent revisions proved successful, with more coaches achieving certification in the last 18 months than we have certified in the previous 29 years. By comparing our updates with the proposed list of Carr-Chellman and Duschetal (2000), I am beginning to understand why the updates worked and how I can make further improvements in the future.

The six elements include:

Carr-Chellman and Duschatel (2000) NCCP Cycling Pathway Updates (2020)
·     A comprehensive study guide that allows students to progress without the teacher ·       A NEW fillable journal helped students navigate the numerous official textbooks, complete all the assignments in the final evaluation portfolio, and consolidate their learning in one document.

·       NEW home study program offered, using recorded video calls from 2 different cohorts, allowing participants to work through materials at their own pace and support various learning styles. Application, including history in sports coaching, was required.

·     Assignments include collaborative and individual tasks that match & model the learning theory ·       EXISTING learning theory, including a mix of instruction and social constructivism.

·       NEW slide deck for ZOOM calls and NEW pre-event assignments to help ensure group activities were efficient.

·     Provide examples of previous student’s work ·       NEW samples provided in the slide deck

·       The NEW journal included key reference material on the page after difficult questions. Thus, participants could challenge themselves to articulate an answer using reflection and textbook, but know their solution and know that resources were easy to find if needed. This removed the anxiety of navigating the 300-page resource material and gamified the writing experience into “can I do the question without asking for help.” In post-event surveys, participants indicated this gamified design helped validate their existing knowledge base and built their confidence by acknowledging that they are indeed in a coaching program that matches their abilities and needs. In addition, students shared more detailed and forthcoming responses in later journal questions, evidencing how the journal design boosted student confidence.

·     No online textbook or primary text used
·     Student-to-student communication is emphasized, including informal discussions that encourage creativity ·       NEW journal and slide deck maximized group breakout room discussions.

·       EXISTING partner exercises during outdoor practice teaching, especially in the morning session.

·     The communication model improves understanding of fundamental learning theories (concepts) and intellectual dialogue ·       The EXISTING program emphasizes and demonstrates the NCCP’s five core competencies: Valuing, Interacting, Problem-Solving, Critical-Thinking, and Leading, and pushes participants to translate theoretical concepts into practical applications with a course conductor fulfills the role of guide, moderator and instructor in that order.

 

I have a question: What did Carr-Chellman and Duschetal (2000) mean by having no online textbook or primary text? I suppose they are proposing this in the context of a network or MOOC. In that case, I can see the lack of an official textbook as an inspiring way to push students to search the relevant academic literature and other resources for answers.

In the context of NCCP Coach Development, I see that we could include the concept of no primary textbook in our ongoing coach mentorship programs, designed for certified coaches who are attending seasonal calls to maintain certified status. In this context, we could prompt participants with a narrow research question two weeks before the seasonal meeting, expecting that they will contribute during breakout room brainstorming and the greater discussion amongst all participants.

References

Weller, M. (2020). 25 Years of Ed Tech. Athabasca University Press.

Carr-Chellman, A., & Duchastel, P. (2000). The ideal online course. British Journal of Educational Technology, 31(3), 229–241. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8535.00154

2 thoughts on “523.1.2 – Optimal online course traits”

  1. Hi Ben – Carr-Chellman and Duschetal ‘s paper is interesting to read now because it was published in 2000 (meaning written a year or two before that). The concept of the MOOC and the network was not part of our conversations back then, but they didn’t quite mean that there’s no textbook required. They say: “The ideal online course should generally not have the primary learning resources online. The great disadvantage of online text materials lies in the poor interface the
    computer screen offers for reading, as compared to the usual interface of the textbook…It is, in fact, much easier for students to study from a traditional textbook than it is for
    them to roam through online textual materials of any length.” See the paper at:
    https://bera-journals-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/doi/10.1111/1467-8535.00154

    How may that impact the recommendations your offer? Does it matter that they were writing in 2000, rather than 2021? And importantly, how does this paper align with topics that are in this week’s reading, such as video for instance?

    1. Hi George,

      Thank you for your comment and clarification on Carr-Chellman and Duschetal’s point of view on textbooks.

      Indeed, our satisfaction surveys confirm their point that students (for us, prospective coaches) prefer to use printed textbook resources instead of digital resources. Until April 2020, we printed a 100–150-page textbook for all 7 modules, almost 1000 pages of text for each coach moving through the pathway! This proved costly and logistically challenging, however aided comprehension and retention. Customers also felt they got their money’s worth in circumstances when the learning facilitator did a poor job of running the course because “at least we got the textbook”. However, cost-cutting measures were adopted in late 2019 and only printable PDFs are now provided to coaches in development. This has reduced organizing costs, but increased costs for participants who wish to print the materials. Anecdotally, only 10% of participants bother to print the textbook, usually via Staples or another printing store. Fortunately for all students, especially those who wish to print the texts, the resource materials have been consolidated from 7 to 3 documents, and from 1000 to <400 pages. Unfortunately, though, the PDF documents provided are not fillable and it is challenging for students to interact with the many questions in the text. This detracts from the effectiveness of the textbook as they either do not write at all or must write their reflections and answers in another document.

      In response, Cycling BC piloted a hybrid document using google docs (and/or a fillable PDF) and google sheets that combined the most pertinent questions and resources from the official textbook into an interactive journal that is owned by the student, fosters discussion, and supports key evaluative activities, and provides links and space for post-certification learning and reflection. Students work through the journal in groups during our ZOOM calls and submit their own copy for review to receive full-course credit within 7 days of the final call. This has proved exceedingly effective. In the past, only 25% of participants who finished all modules would be successful in achieving certification. Now 85% of participants who finish the modules achieve certification. In reflection, there are many characteristics from the ePortfolio and Personal Learning Environment chapters that align with the design of our journal pilot document. I am excited to try to include some form of sharing, perhaps via padlet or closed forums, to tap into the characteristics of the Personal Learning Environments discussed in chapter 14. Or perhaps use hashtags on Instagram as many of our coaches post clips from their sessions on that platform.

      With regards to the use of video, this year we successfully added a series of videos to our instructor training program. A series of short videos that break down and capture the key physical literacy movements (think run, jump, throw), but for cycling, was filmed and incorporated into an interactive eLearning program on Articulate360. These new resources helped instructors, who are more often brand new to the sport of cycling, learn quickly and fully participate in our 2-day outdoor practice teaching weekend prior to the season. Although very successful here in BC this spring and now in use across the country, the next step is to reconstitute the video resources from the articulate360 and hidden YouTube playlists to a more user-friendly mobile phone app.

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