Online Learning: What Really Matters for Teachers in Vocational Education and Training

Online Learning: What do teachers need to know about communicating online?

Robyn Weatherley

Training and Development Directorate

NSW Dept of Education and Training, Australia

rweatherley@cci.net.au

Allan Ellis

School of Social and Workplace Development

Southern Cross University, Australia

aellis@scu.edu.au

Abstract: LearnScope is a national professional development initiative which has been operating in Australia since 1998. The aim of this initiative is to assist the professionals in the vocational education and training sector in Australia develop skills and capabilities in the application of new learning technologies. This development will enable the sector to provide greater choices to learners through the use of these technologies and assist in Australia’s move to the Information Economy.

In support of this initiative a virtual learning community was established. This paper highlights the significance of interactivity derived from a detailed study of LearnScope’s Virtual Learning Community.

People are the most important part of the online equation. The professional challenge is developing the appropriate communication style to build the learning relationship within the new learning environment.

Introduction Australia, like all other nations, is in the midst of a profound transition from the old mechanized economy to the new information economy. The general trends are clear, the stakes are high and the task is urgent. (Australian National Training Authority, 2000). Professional development features at a national level of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector in Australia as one of the major strategies for achieving a goal of: building a critical mass of vocational education and training staff who are able to use flexible learning approaches to accelerate Australia’s transition to the information economy (Australian National Training Authority, 2000). In 1998, LearnScope, a national professional development initiative was commenced to increase the capability of VET practitioners in applying educationally sound practices in the use of online technologies. It has supported over 200 work teams who represent teachers and trainers from a range of industry areas and who all share a common outcome of fostering quality teaching and learning through the use of technologies.

The LearnScope Virtual Learning Community (VLC) is a purpose built website which was established to support VET practitioners who are gaining skills and capabilities which will enable them to provide greater flexibility in providing learning options to their students.

A study of the activities within LearnScope’s VLC has revealed that the issues of communication skills along with issues of interactivity are important factors in developing a quality online learner environment (Weatherley, 2000). This paper describes the context of the LearnScope project and the importance of emphasising interactivity as a major capability needed for effective and efficient operation within the online environment.

Why a national professional development initiative?

As the geographical boundaries of VET in Australia become blurred, the competitive edge of providers, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), will not only be the courses and training programs they can offer but the quality of the teacher support and service provided to the learner.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), through the use of the Internet, World Wide Web and associated communication software, will enable the online environment to emerge as a major tool in providing support to learners. Understanding the full range of skills and capabilities for teaching and learning in this environment is a complex task. In acknowledging the importance of these technologies, the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) established a national professional development initiative, LearnScope, which provides funding to work-based learning teams to develop skills and capabilities in the educational application of these new learning technologies.

This national professional development initiative is being co-ordinated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training with partners at Douglas Mawson Institute of TAFE in South Australia. Through a range of work-based learning processes including mentoring, coaching, workshops, discussion groups, conferences and visits to other educational and industry sites, work teams gain knowledge, skills and understandings in relation to new learning technologies. The strategies used for development are not limited to one-off workshops but deliberately planned through both individual and team learning plans. This provided individuals/teams the opportunity to seek learning possibilities beyond their organisation’s capacity or know-how and also enabled choice about how, when and where to learn.

A Meeting Place for VET professionals

To support the initiative, the LearnScope VLC, http://www.learnscope.anta.gov.au not only provides resources but a meeting place for VET professionals.

Why have a meeting place? In Australia, where the distances are vast and where traditionally VET practitioners within states and territories have not had the opportunity to collaborate nationally in experiencing learning opportunities, the VLC provided a virtual meeting place.

The underpinning thinking behind the LearnScope virtual community is similar to that of Spitzer and Wedding (1995:248) who describe electronic communities as being: ‘groups of people with a common interest to participate in discussion, to gather ideas, to share experiences, to inform others about what they do, to experiment with the technologies which can result in them feeling less isolated and to learn more about the area of interest.’

Furthermore, the VLC is built around a constructivist model to learning where, as described by Resta (1998:35):

The constructivist model of learning holds that new knowledge must be built through the socially dynamic and interpersonal interplay of experiences, beliefs, and prior knowledge each individual possesses and shares within a community of collaborative learners. In this model knowledge is the result of work of the individual to make meaning out of information and to expand individually held knowledge through the interaction of other learners in the social context of a learning community. The social component of knowledge-building is the catalyst in the process: as individual makes sense of new information or experience, she or he expresses it to others who actively enter into the knowledge-building dialogue to confirm, modify, question, contradict, or correct shared information. In this collaborative knowledge-building process, all participants are learning independently and collaboratively to make personal and community meaning of new information as different partners find, question, create, share, correct and argue ideas, concepts and principles. Through a range of activities including access to resources and information, publishing stories on the site, asking questions, having a say, access to invited guests with experience in the online environment, LearnScope participants were provided with a diverse range of learning opportunities.

The knowledge and skill of participants about the online environment was varied. Some had a very basic level of skills through to sophisticated questioning of the pedagogical issues associated with the online environment. For the VLC to be seen as a recognised source for learning meant a number of key elements were necessary. Some of these were planned and others unfolded as the community evolved. These included:

Appropriate resources: A range of critiqued resources relating to the phased approach of each of the LearnScope project teams. The site offered abundant links for team members to explore, for example, skills audits, models for flexible learning, professional development strategies, online courses, technical updates, how to use the Web, teaching and learning issues, instructional design, to name a few.

Access to ‘experts’ in the field: The site provided an opportunity for the LearnScope teams to gain access to national and international guests. These people were identified as being able to provide the LearnScope community with either experience from the field and/or theoretical understanding of the online environment. These guests were available by both providing information onto the site and engaging in asynchronous discussion.

Publishing in the Online Environment: The site provides the LearnScope community with the opportunity to publish into various areas of the site. Only minimal technical skills are required. As a publishing site all LearnScope teams are required to provide progress information about their team’s learning achievements.

Forums: In the asynchronous area, LearnScope participants actively engaged in discussions around the use of new learning technologies with experienced practitioners, academics or through self-generated discussions. Synchronous discussions are also available but firewalls in most larger Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes prevented access.

It is in the VLC and through a questionnaire that this study examined the process of interaction.

Why is interaction important?

The forums within LearnScope enabled a new form of interaction between VET practitioners throughout Australia. In an article published on the site (February, 2000) Fagan wrote that the VLC:

…proposed a mechanism which could engage people in focused conversation, and could capture the precipitate of public knowledge, archiving it to a knowledge base. This knowledge base can be seen as a living organism which grows, changes and adjusts as people interact in the course of collaborative knowledge construction. The results of the study revealed major concerns relating to the notion of interactivity. These concerns included:

The physical absence would either not be conducive to the learning environment or would create new problems not experienced in the classroom. The question of whether or not the passion and ethos of classroom teaching can be translated to the virtual environment was raised.

The level of communication skill expected of both teachers and students engaging in an online learning community. In developing communities online, where the interaction between teaching professionals or teacher and student(s) is through the written word then, being able to construct meaning that cannot be misinterpreted is a major challenge.

Do teachers and students have the capacity to construct clear meaning through writing skills, language usage and expression. This was further exemplified in the forum discussions where a range of topics provided meaningful insights into communication styles which included conversational, prose and poetry within a discussion and debate format. These were represented by a range of formal and informal uses of language and symbols.

In characterising communities, it is reported in the literature that group interaction, sharing and participation leads to relationships between members of the community. It will be critical that participants of the online community share a common language which is free of misunderstandings. A clear example of this occurred in a forum discussion when a subject used a communication uncharacteristic of the groups discussion. This style resulted in other members of the group ceasing to participate in the discussion. Because of this seemingly uncharacteristic style, relationship development within the group was diminished.

This raises more questions than answers. Are current writing and language skills appropriate for the new learning environment or is it like placing a square peg in a round hole? Is now the time to return to the English books and origins of words and sentences to ensure we understand the ‘real’ meaning? Are we developing a new language? Is it possible for anarchy to exist where chaos is recognised and accepted as legitimate and when all forms of writing, language and expression can coexist?

Figure 1 summarises the considerations for communication styles as highlighted in the study.

Styles of communicating Description Implications

Plain English Use of the English language in a clear and concise form Fitting an old established method into a new environment

Elitist Language is power and unless you have the capacity to articulate and understand the innuendos then you cannot be part of this group Segregation through a power relationship

New Genre New words, new terminology, new expressions arising to accommodate the new learning environment A new age

Chaos Licence is given to any kind of communication. The various categories allow for individual differences and choices. Diversity of options and acceptance of differences

Figure 1: Implications for Communicating Online

Both the reviewed literature and the results of this study have identified that communication styles are a significant factor in developing learning relationships in the online learning community. A range of factors that may include: target group, subject area, access to resources, integrating online with face to face, capability of teacher and student, the level of interactive participation required, will be factors which may determine the communication style for that community. To assume a level of skill in being able to write a message which will not be misinterpreted in the online environment is difficult.

This discussion gives rise to the significance of communication styles when considering the skills required. For online learning communities to be successful the environment must be inviting so that group interaction, sharing and participation can lead to learning relationships between members rather than isolating the members. The implications listed in Figure 1 are of major significance for teachers/trainers developing an appropriate environment for students to learn.

The ability to interact was highlighted throughout this study as a significant factor in being able to provide sound educational opportunities.

Level of Interactivity in the Online Learning Environment

The issue of interactivity in the online learning environment is a complex one. For teachers, in the absence of face to face interaction with other professionals or students, to make judgements about the degree of learning, either their own or others, can resort to the virtual environment for interaction. The level of interactivity in the online environment will assist in acknowledging the depth and breadth of knowledge gained.

Figure 2: Level of Interactivity for Learning in the Online Learning Environment

At Level 1 the interaction is merely about understanding the technical know-how of operating the hardware and software. At this level the participation by the learner is in understanding how to use the tools. Examples of this level of interactivity may be switching on the computer, using a mouse, loading software, learning how to access the World Wide Web or how to use a specific software program. At this level there is little or no interaction with content. Until there is some familiarity with the hardware and software there is little likelihood that relevant content can be accessed.

Level 2 requires the learner to access content. This may be through computer-based programs, through the World Wide Web or accessing information via a CD-ROM. Content is available but the interactivity provides nothing more than page turning. In the case of using ICTs such as synchronous or asynchronous forums, the learner may access information but is a ‘lurker’ and does not provide input to the discussion. Whether or not knowledge is being gained is highly subjective and only evident to the person accessing the information.

Level 3 requires greater interaction by the learner with the computer program. Examples may include accessing a computer-based learning program or other computer-based resources which have built into them some form of test of knowledge or reflection practices. The interaction is between the learner and the computer with the computer program providing the feedback. Evidence of the degree of learning taking place is restricted to the computer program "scores". Communication technologies may also be used at this level. The communication is restricted to the interaction prompted by an individual by asking questions or requesting information.

Level 4 promotes a high level of interactivity by two or more people through the use of information and communication technologies. The interactivity between the learner and teacher or other learners may be self-generating or facilitated. This level expects participants to not only have the technical know-how of using these technologies but also the necessary communication skills to openly discuss, debate or dialogue with others. All parties are adding to a knowledge base which is constructed out of the interaction. Through engaging in this form of communication, participants are clarifying understandings and for teachers, with students, it is more likely they can ascertain whether learning is taking place.

Where interactivity online is the only source of assessing whether or not learning is taking place, teachers must possess a range of skills and attributes which will encourage the learner to actively participate. For VET professionals working in the online environment, the tasks are to firstly gain the confidence and skill to use the environment to communicate and then promote participation by others.

The LearnScope VLC provides a range of learning opportunities for the VET professional. What was evident in the study was that few teachers actively participate as learners in the forum area. If ‘teacher as learner’ finds interaction in this environment difficult then it is possible the same will be the case for students.

The challenge for the people involved in LearnScope projects is firstly, acknowledging the benefits of a VLC for their professional development and then becoming active participants within the environment. This as Spitzer and Wedding (1995:12) says:

…require the active and willing participation of teachers in the process of examining, reflecting on, experimenting with, and ultimately changing the way they practice – in the context of a professional community that allows them to enrich their understanding of subject matter and to consider issues about how students learn. The LearnScope VLC is in its infancy. Already there are signs of its infrastructure providing opportunities for the VET professional to develop a range of capabilities for the online learning environment. Its range of resources, facilities for engaging in discussion and to publish online provide opportunities for individual and teams not previously available. Whilst there are established strategies to learn about the technical know-how of the online environment including accessing programs and resources, the challenge remains in developing the skills and confidence to publicly post messages into a forum and to compose the message in a way that cannot be misinterpreted by the receiver. The VLC is a tool which provides the infrastructure for this to take place. The result would then be a learning community of VET professionals who are contributing to not only their own professional development but to others within the VET sector nationally, and possibly internationally.

Conclusion

For the online learning environment to be successful, writing and language skills must allow for group interaction, sharing and participation which will lead to an environment based on relationship development. VET practitioners must understand the complexity of the virtual environment in building group dynamics and participation.

Understanding the range of interactive possibilities and promoting an environment which encourages active participation online is vital. This can only be achieved through understanding how interacting online is different to face to face interaction. People are the most important part of the online equation. The professional challenge is developing the appropriate communication to build the learning relationship in this new learning environment.

References

Australian National Training Authority, 2000, Flexible Learning for the Information Economy: A Framework for National Collaboration in Vocational Education and Training 2000 – 2004

Fagan, K. 2000, Online Learning, http://learnscope.anta.gov.au/display000/2101-2400/display_stories_2103.html, printed 19 May 2000.

Resta, P. 1998, ‘Collabrative Technologies as a Catalyst for Changing Teacher Practices’, Paper presented to Ed-Media & Ed-Telecom 98, Germany, eds T. Ottmann & I. Tomek, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.

Spitzer, W. & Wedding, K. 1995, ‘LABNET: An Intentional Electronic Community for Professional Development’, Computers Education, vol. 24, no. No. 3, pp. 247-255.

Weatherley, R. 2000, Online Learning: What Really Matters for Teachers in Vocational Education and Training, Southern Cross University, Lismore.

Styles of communicating	Description	Implications
Plain English	Use of the English language in a clear and concise form	Fitting an old established method into a new environment
Elitist	Language is power and unless you have the capacity to articulate and understand the innuendos then you cannot be part of this group	Segregation through a power relationship
New Genre	New words, new terminology, new expressions arising to accommodate the new learning environment	A new age
Chaos	Licence is given to any kind of communication. The various categories allow for individual differences and choices.	Diversity of options and acceptance of differences