Edtech Journal 3

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EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Staying Connected: Online Education Engagement

and Retention using Educational Technology ToolsJOSE SALAZAR

ABSTRACTThe objective ofthis article is to inform educators aboutthe use of currently available educational technologytools to promote student retention, engagement andinteraction in online courses. Educational technologytools include content management systems, podcasts,video lecture capture technology and electronicdiscussion boards. Successful use of educationaltechnology tools requires planning, organization anduse of effective learning strategies.

KEYWORDS: online education; educational techno-logy; engagement; reten tion

LEARNINC OBJECTIVES1. Define educational technology.2. List 4 educational technology tools used to enhance

the delivery of interactive online education.3 . Discuss the overall impact of educational

technology tools on online education.4. Describe 2 major causes for high attrition in online

education. 1 .5. Identify and describe 2 interactive methods that

result in increased engagement and retention ofonline students.

Clin Lab Sei 2 010;2 3 (3)Suppl;3-5 3

Jose Salazar, MS, MLS(ASC P)^'^, Department ofClinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Texas MedicalBranch, Galveston, Texas 77555

Address for Correspo ndence: Jose Salazar, MS,MLS(ASCP)^'^,Clinical Assistant Professor, Departmentof Clinical La boratory Sciences, University of TexasMedical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Calveston,Texas 77555, 409-772-3044,[email protected]

INTRODUCTIONThe rapid evolution of computer technology haspromoted the expansion of educational borders, bothphysical and mental, by allowing today's students tovirtually join the classroom via online education. Morerecently, online education has increasingly beendelivered in electronic forms, such as web-conferencing,course management systems and wireless mobiledevices. ' The internet has spawned a new generation ofusers who depend on computers for daily tasks rangingfrom paying bills to keeping up with friends via socialnetworks. As students become more accustomed to theinternet and the interaction it has brought to theironline experience, they expect their online education touse similar applications for their learning experiences.There are major differences in an online teachingenvironment when compared to a face-to-face class.^ Itis important to differentiate between the competency ofweb surfing to that of completing actual courseworkonline. The additional options of the internet canenhance the learning experience and be used to teach toa variety of learning styles, but it also requires faculty torethink how they teach and how they engage onlinestudents. . , ,

The use of educational technology, combined with apedagogically sound curriculum, can be a powerful

combination to engage and successfully graduate onlinestudents. Educational technology is defined as address-ing educational needs using networked computers andmobile devices.' Online learning outcomes andretention rares at least equal or exceed traditionalclassroom learning environments when instructors use asystematic design process to develop online courses.Dziuban et al. compared success and withdraw ratesusing an instructional design model and found thatenvironments that support faculty development,promote organizational skills, and provide course

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FOCUS: EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLO GY

development assistance have a direct positive impact onstuden t learning. .

Additionally, identifying the needs and expectations ofthe students in an online class plays an important rolein creating a working relationship between theinstructor and the students and results in increasedstudent engagement and the establishment of an onlinevirtual community. According to Ezarik, the majority ofdistance learners are older than 27, first-gen erationcollege students and enrolled part-time. They spendmore time working and caring for dependents than on-campus students. Students who have the ability to beconsistent, structured, and organized are moresuccessful in an online course. By understanding the

dynamics of online students an instructor can create alearning environment that allows the students to learneffectively, while interacting at their own pace and time.

Implementing Educational T echnologyEducational technology has revolutionized the wayeducation can be delivered and how it can becustomized for maximal impact in an online environ-ment. The measurable impact on students' learningdepends on the way educational technology is used and

the conditions under which it is implemented.** Theimplementation of online educational technologyrequires administration support, technical staff guidanceand ample course development time. Educationaltechnology does not replace effective learning strategies,but requires that the strategies be implemented in amanner that makes the best use of the technology. Forexample, discussions that take place in face to faceclassrooms can be mimicked to provide a similarlearning experience by using discussion boards or chatrooms. Using this technology, the learning experience isenhanced because discussions are captured and can bereviewed later by students and instructors.

Student Engagement and R etentionOnline education works best when it is not treated as aself-serve package. Creating meaningful interactions isof paramount importance to engage an online student.The following steps outline a series of recommendationsthat an online instructor should follow to successfullydeliver an online course.

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1. Distribute information on how to access the couronline in an efficient and timely manner. For exampthe instructor can host an orientation session so thonline students will know where general courinformation is located and whom to contact if they hacourse content issues or technical problems witechnology. To prevent procrastination, instructoshould mandate orientation within the first week class.

2. The online instructor must develop the course withstructured online platform. All course content should well thotight-out so that it is intuitive for the studentlocate basic information such as the course syllabuschedule, learning objectives, content, and assignmenThe majority of universities are now adopting courmanagement systems (CMS) such as Moodle, SakaiBlackboard", Angel or WebCT. These systems alloinstructors to distribute and manage course materials a password-secured central loca tion.

3. Instructors should introduce themselves early in tcourse to establish an online presence. For exampinstructors can create a self-introduction video clip an interactive bio. Online students perform well whthey experience a sense of community between theinstructor and fellow peers.''' Croups function wethrough online interactions between instructor-studeand student-student that create an environment similto a classroom. Educational tools such as podcasts, chor discussion boards can be used to initiate contact.

4. Get the students involved early in the course. Astudents to utilize the educational tools to introduthemselves. Discussion forums, internal student w

pages, and student groups are applications that alloboth instructors and students to share informatioquickly and to specific groups. For example, at tbeginning of the course, ask students to post a shobiography with a picture. A more interactive approainvolves students posting a short video clip showcasithemselves as they share parameters indicated by tcourse instructor.

5. Provide timely feedback. Maintain consistent conta

with students regarding progress, graded assessmenand student ideas. According to Hannum, students


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successful programs were well-supported by strongorientation sessions, a single point of contact forstudents, and frequent instructor feedback.^

The same study found the most common reasons forattrition were students realization that the medium didnot fit their learning style, minimal instructorinteraction and lack of course information.^ Reducingattrition rates among online education programs is amajor concern. Online courses require just as muchplanning, organization and use of effective learningstrategies as traditional face to face courses. Forinstance, virtual simulations and web chats mimicelements of traditional classroom experience.' Instruc-tors can design their courses to include group activities

and assessments that support writing, viewing, listening,comprehension, and synthesis. These activities pull inthe student in a collaborative effort thus promotingstudent-student learning interactions and address thewide variety of learning styles. Further, if online coursesare designed to incorporate educational technology in astudent/instructor friendly manner, and if students areoriented to the tools, there is an increased possibilitythat reflective learning can be achieved and that thelearning is adaptive, communicative, productive,

narrative, and interactive.** By using educational tech-nology to its full potential, student learning can beimproved and factors that contribute to online studentattrition are minimized.

A number of educational technology tools that enhanceonline course learning have been introduced in the pastdecade. Podcasts, wikis, course management systems,and videoconferencing via internet protocol (IP) are justa few of the tools now available. These educationaltechnology tools can be used to increase the amount ofinteractivity in an online course, thus resulting in ahigher degree of student engagement and retention.

Educational Technology ToolsSynchronous audio and video delivery can be deliveredlive. One method available to accomplish synchronousvideo and audio delivery is called web-conferencing orWebinars. Several web-conferencing services andsoftware downloads are available at no cost along withmedia license packages that education institutions may

purchase and maintain. Web-conferencing allows

synchronous connections among multiple locations.High-speed broad-band internet connections arerequired. The hardware requirements include acomputer, web camera and microphone. Webconferencing allows for the creation of a sense ofcommunity and serves as an ice breaker between theinstructor and the enrolled students.

Asynchronous online course interaction can be achievedby recording the session using the same technology as isused in web conferencing. Instead of delivering thecontent live, it is stored on a server with video streamingcapabilities. Students are then able to stream ordownload the recorded content at a time that alignswith their schedule. Video lecture capture technology

(VLCT) is very similar to web-conferencing except thatit is set up for continuous video capture of classroomlectures. VLCT supports student retention by engagingstudents, increasing student satisfaction, and promotingstudent achievement.' Every class is captured in acombination of both audio and video format usingcomputers and the internet for capture, processing anddelivery. There is no need to process tapes or hire a filmcrew. The VLCT is distributed to students through anonline course management system. Students are thenable to review the captured materials anytime,anywhere. VLCT provides instructors with a teachingstrategy that resonates with students accustomed tomultimedia. Instructors initiate recording softwarebefore beginning their class lecture. The softwarerecords the lecture and provides video feeds of theinstructor and the presentation (PowerPoint, forexample). The captured content is uploaded to a serverthat makes the content available to students within anhour. Students who have logins are able to view thelectures from any computer device connected to the

internet. Further, students may also download theaudio/video content as podcasts and vodcasts to off-linecomputers and mobile devices thus allowing them toaccess the content without an internet connection.VLCT is also used to engage students in the classenvironment, particularly if they are joining asynchro-nously. A student can record content that is to beshared with classmates. For example as an interactivecase study assignment, students can use the VLCT to

record a case study at home, upload the presentation )

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and easily distribute it to fellow classmates andinstructors for peer review or grading.

Course management systems (CMS) are web-basedplatforms that allow instructors and students to securelyaccess course materials, multi-media files, assessmenttools, email, chats and discussions from a central site. 'Students utilize the CMS as the hub for their courseinteractions. CMS provides a rich environment aninstructor can use to engage students by way ofsynchronous and asynchronous communication in anorganized structure. Course information and contentare organized and accessible. Good CMS programs aredesigned to be intuitive and consistent. A benefit ofusing CMS is its fiexibility. CMS are easily

customizable to provide a canvas for instructors todeliver a course. Some CMS structures are too fiexible,providing more than one way to organize materials.This can be confusing.

An organizational plan must be developed before coursematerials are added to the CMS. When a user enters thecourse, a concise menu should appear. Too many menuchoices will confuse and distract the user. Design theCMS so that the most basic and important pieces of

information make up the course appear first. Menuitems such as Announcements, Course Syllabus, CourseMaterials, Assignments, and Resources are deemed conciseand appropriate for a course welcome page.Announcements should contain time-dependentinformation. Content changes, schedule updates,deadlines, and other timely information are appropriateunder the announcement menu item.

Under the Course Syllabus heading, general course

policies and the course schedule should be housed.Course Materials can be used to organize the coursecontent, consisting of outlines, learning modules, slideshows and PowerPoint lectures notes. The Assignmentsarea can include quizzes, exams, and individualassignment units. Under Resources, post internal andexternal links. Other menu items may be added asnecessary.

Another area which is useful in CMS is the submissionof assignments. Not only can the assignments be madeavailable, but students can also submit them via

assignment boxes that deliver files directly into tCMS instead of the instructor's email. The process iswell-orchestrated exchange between instructor astudent. To implement online submissions thinstructor creates an assignment module within tCMS. Pedagogically-based models of online modules the CMS involve the use of assignment learninobjectives, grading criteria, and instructions fsuccessful completion within the module. During thprocess the CMS automatically creates a "digital drbox" area for the student to electronically submit thecompleted assignment. The CMS grade center autmatically creates a column in the grade center (grabook) that is accessible only to the instructor. Thinstructor then has the option of sending aannouncement to students via the CMS email systeindicating that an assignment has been posted and ready for the student to download. The studeretrieves the assignment via download from the CMThe assignment is completed and uploaded to threspective "digital drop box" and is stored in the gracenter ready to be reviewed by the instructor. Thinstructor now has the opportunity to download asubmitted assignments from one location. tremendous benefit is the ability to provide immedia

feedback to graded work in the form of writtecomments along with the earned grade. The student catrack and review submissions, instructor comments, anearned grades as the course progresses. This mechanisfacilitates the interaction between the instructor anstudent regarding the exchange of work that is assigneand submitted for assessment. Further, the feedbacopportunity aligns with the goal of consistent anfrequent communication with students.

Through CMS tracking mechanisms an instructor caidentify and reach students who are at risk for attritioor failure. By recording and storing grades in a CMthe tracking feature allows the instructor to nointrusively mine and analyze student data.'^ Once higrisk students are identified, the instructor can contathe student to initiate remediation that increaseretention and successful completion of the course.

Communication tools found in CMS, such as discussforums, blogs, and chat rooms, play an important roin enhancing the interactivity between instructor an

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students as well as student to student communications.An interactive discussion board can include consistentand meaningful posts from both the instructor andstudent. In some instances, it is appropriate for theinstructor to begin a thread and only moderate thediscussion as needed. Blogs (web logs) are online diariesthat can be hosted securely. Blogs can be used bystudents to express their opinions on issues related tothe course of study. Peers have access to each other'sblogs and are able to review other classmates' perceptionof the material. Only the owner of the blog cancontribu te com mentaries, images or videos to the blog.

A wiki, also known as collaborative software, is a greattool to stimulate group work. Wikis allow a group of

students to post documents within the CMS and renderit available to any member for updates and editing. Thewiki monitors and organizes the activity.

Podcasting is an audio/video medium (video is alsoknown as vodcast) in which information is delivered viareal simple syndication (RSS) feeds." The producerneeds a computer, microphone and webcam if video isto be recorded. The author records content with asound capture program that uploads the audio files to a

server that hosts RSS feeds. Users can then programtheir M P3 player client to dow nload RSS feeds.Educators can reach online students by creatingpodcasts that are informative and related to courseprogress. Supplemental podcasts are a very popularsource of quick up-to-date information that can engagestudents as they progress through their course work.

Learning objects (LOs) are tools that captivate theattention of learners of all learning styles. LOs areinstructional material broken down into pieces that canbe used independently or in conjunction with othermaterials.'^ Concepts that are difficult to teach areprime candidates for creation of LOs. LOs allow theinstructor to spread abstract topics into elementaryteaching pieces using technology that incorporatesvisual and audio cues. LOs can be images, animations,or text modules that are transportable and reusable. Thecreation of LOs begins with the idea of identifyingspecific topics students have difficulty understanding.Once an area is identified, work begins with a computer

programmer or multi-media specialists along with the

instructor as the subject matter expert. LOs can bedisseminated online via a CMS or an LO repositorysuch as http://web cls.utmb .edu/lo. Students are able todownload LOs and use them to enhance their learningexpe rience. - , ,

C O N C L U S I O NStudents now expect to use technology in all aspects oftheir lives, including education. Why not engage themby providing an interactive learning environment thatwill enhance their skills? Educational technology toolsconvert the online learning environment into a canvasideal for interaction. Taking the classroom to the virtualworld is the wave of the future. Let us embracetechnology and harness its power to engage and

stimulate students of today and the future.

REFER ENCE S - ^1. Ashby, C. Distance Education, Growth in Distance Education

Programs an d Implications for Federal Education Policy. 2002Report No. GAO-02-1125T). United States GeneralAccounting Office. Retrieved March 5, 2010 fromhttp://www.gao.gov/new.items/d021125t.pdf

2. Price L, Richardson J, Jelfs A. Face-to-face versus onlinetutoring support in distance education. Studies in HigherEducation 2007;32: 1-20. Retrieved March 1, 2010 fromAcademic Search Complete database

3. Dziuban C, Hartman J, Moska, P. Blended Learning.EducauseResearch Bulletin, 2004; 1-4. Retrieved March 18, 2010. fromhttp://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0407.pdf

4. Roblyer M. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching(4th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall2006

5. Ezarik M. Going the distance on engagement.UniversityBusiness (2006); 9: 17. Retrieved March 5, 2010 fromAcademic Search Complete database.

6. Drouin M. The relationship between students' perceived senseof community and satisfaction, achievement, and retention inan online course. Quarterly Review of Distance Education 2008;9: 267-84. Retrieved March 1, 2010 from Academic Search

Com plete database.7. Ha nn um W , Irvin M, Lei P, Farmer T. Effectiveness of using

learner-centered principles on student retention in distanceeducation courses in rural schools.Distance Education 2008;29-. 211-29. doi:10.1080/01587910802395763 March 1,2010.

8. Stover C. Measuringand understanding student retention.Distance Education Report 2005:5'.l-7. Retrieved March 1,2010 from Academic Search Com plete database.

9. Gillies D. Stud ent perspectives on videoconferencing in teachereducation at a distance. Distance Education, 2008;25'.107-18.doi:l 0.1080/01587910802004 878 March 1, 2010.

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10 . Morgan J, Rawlinson M, Weaver M. Facilitating onlinereflective learning for health and social care professionals.OpenLearning 2006;2;.-167-76. doi:10.1080/02680510600715594March 1,2010.

11. Mactadyen L, Dawson S. Mining LMS data to develop an"early warning system" for educators: A proof of concept.

Computers & Education 2010, 5^.588-99. doi:10.1016/j.cedu.2009.09.008 M arch 1, 2010.

12. Garrett N. New technologies help build learning communitiDistance Education Report 2006; 10:1-6. Retrieved March2010 from Academic Search Co mplete database.

13 . Brickell J, Kanuth M, Freeman VS. Learning objects: resoufor instruction. Clin Lab Sei 2006; 19:184-7.

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