What makes a successful online learner?12/01/2017Sarah Knight, Heather Price, Helen Beetham, Lou McGill
Quick poll
Which most closely describes your role in online learning?
A. TeachingB. Course design/developmentC. Supporting/developing people D. Supporting/developing systems E. Management/leadership
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Quick poll
Which most closely describes your aims forthis webinar?
A. Develop myself professionallyB. Develop my dept/organisationC. Learn more about the research/evidenceD. Get ideas for improving a course/coursesE. Other
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Background
What makes a successful online learner webinar
Background
»Digital Student: series of projects to investigate students' expectations and experiences of the digital environment»Scaling Up Online Learning: guidance and resources for institutions looking to make online learning scalable and sustainable »Online learners scoping study: background review and recommendations for the online learners investigation
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What makes a successful online learner - report
Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
Our assumptions:» Most learners will experience some online component to
their learning: as they move into lifelong learning/professional development, this component will probably become more significant.
» Online learners are not a distinct group of learners: they are any and all learners in situations where online resources, networks and interactions are significant to their learning.
» For some learners, in some situations, ‘online’ is the strongly preferred or only available space of learning.
» For most learners, ‘online’ is an adjunct space of learning which intersects with offline learning at many points.
What do we mean by ‘online learning’?
Image attributed to Flickr user: wocintech stock - 127 6
Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
What do we mean by ‘online learning’?
Image attributed to Flickr user: wocintech stock - 127
= online courses +/or online elements of blended courses +/or informal learning online
= learning in online spaces +/or with online materials +/or through online communications +/or with online pedagogies
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
» Literature review and analysis (260+ studies) ›Zotero online library›Bibliography
» Validation of findings with:›Expert advisory group›Online learners
#OLsuccess forum#OLSuccess report
›Practitioners(3 live, 2 online events)
» Reporting and dissemination
What we did
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Our focus: what makes for a successful online learner?
Key questions» What are successful online learners like?» What do successful online learners do?» How do successful online learners feel about learning online?» What differences among online learners are significant to their
success?» How can providers and teachers/facilitators support online
learners’ success?
Underpinning issue: who defines success, who measures it?Jan 2017 9
Key findings
Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
»Online learners are highly diverse: more differences than similarities
»Contexts and motivations for online learning vary across life stages»Relationship of motivation to success: learners see them thru same lens»Emotional responses significant to success: curiosity, confidence,
independence, connection; vs boredom, frustration, loneliness» 'Readiness to learn online' a consistently used but contested metric:
providers devising one-off instruments with little evidence base»Research ‘tribes’ with different issues, discourses, methods e.g. big data vs
rich narratives
Key points
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Successful online learners are…
» Experienced, already successful learners (especially online!)» Motivated, resilient and persistent» Autonomous, self-efficacious, self-regulating» Curious and inquiring» Well-prepared and well-organised - with digital tech!» Digitally capable (diminishing effect? Necessary but not sufficient)» Divergent in their learning preferences and needs:
belonging vs independence, open vs closed, self-directed vs scaffolded
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Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
Finding: How do you prefer to use online resources?
Slightly more of our participants preferred to use recommended resources than to find resources online for themselves: the preference would almost certainly have been stronger with a less confident and experienced group of learners.
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Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
Finding: How do you like to use your social media?
Our participants were fairly evenly split between using their social media informally for learning, using it as a core/essential element of their learning, and keeping it quite separate from their learning, with informal use marginally the more popular.
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Successful online learners do…
» Engage in learning that’s right for them and focus on their own aspirations (choice, motive: signposting, advice)
» Set goals, make and monitor plans» View, actively curate, collate and review a wide range of course-
related content» Pro-actively: find information, seek help, initiate communication» Manage time and attention» Integrate personal with course technologies and media» Make online setting work for them: belonging vs independence,
open vs closed, self-directed vs scaffoldedJan 2017 15
What makes a successful online learner webinar
(Online) learning successContext
(e.g. course)Person
Experiences (activities/feedback)
Beliefs(confidence, self-efficacy)
Repertoire (practices,
habits)
Motives (objective,
desire, identity)
genderage
language/culturesocial/econ capital
accessother demands
environmentresourcesactivitiesrewards
rolesinteractions
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
For exampleContext
(e.g. course)Person
Experiences (activities/feedback)
Beliefs(confidence, self-efficacy)
Repertoire (practices,
habits)
Motives (objective,
desire, identity)2. The course
requires you to share links and resources
using twitter
3. You comply: have positive
feedback from others and some
public RTs
4. You are more likely to tweet
again, believing you will have a +ve response
1. You are keen to meet course
requirements (be a good student)
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Successful online learners feel…
» enjoyment - even when learning is challenging (fun, motive, curious, self-development)
» in control of their learning and their outcomes» belonging and care - even in situations of low social/emotional
presence (implied from research)» complex emotions about working with others » anxiety and frustration e.g. with technology – but have strategies
for coping
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
#OLsuccess Week
There are some things that I think are vital; it’s the taking note of the advantages that online gives, (e.g. ability to have asynchronous activities as well as synchronous ones)... But, ultimately, we’re all different. What suits me, today, mayn’t suit you tomorrow.
What helps me in learning online is the ability to set my own projects and goals, to have access to a wide range of resources and a group of peers to support me. What doesn’t help me is a course structure or timed-delimited focus
If you do find it difficult to have a voice – start small and work up to more as your confidence grows
Mainly I like it because I don’t feel pressured to be with other people, which I struggle with due to my autism.
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
#OLsuccess Week
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Significant differences
» Self-efficacy, self-regulation etc. (disposition or repertoire?)» Educational background, experience and capital: previous success» Other demands on time, especially for older adult learners» Access needs and challenges + Linguistic needs and challenges» Mode of participation» (to some extent) subject and level of study» (to a diminishing extent) ICT confidence and capability» (In a few studies) age, gender, cultural background, ethnicity,
employment status, socio-economic status
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Quick question
Any questions?
• Please write any comments or questions in the chat window…
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Key recommendations
What makes a successful online learner webinar
Recommendations from previous Digital Student Studies
HE Digital Student Study recommendations
Final report of the FE Digital Study
Digital Student Skills Sector Final Project Report
Recommendations
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
» Choose and purposely redesign the course or activity for online learning
» Enable and support staff to develop their digital capabilities for online LTA
» Reward staff for teaching innovation and establish champions of online learning to cascade approaches out
» Develop a flexible, robust online learning environment, addressing barriers to access
» Enable and support learners to take advantage of the opportunities that online learning offers
» Create safe online spaces for learners to develop trust, establish learning communities and develop a sense of belonging to the institution
Recommendations for organisations
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
» Use the Scaling up Online Learning guides and checklists to assess strengths and weaknesses
» Encourage staff to use the Jisc online learning readiness tool either individually, in teams or as part of their CPD
Recommendations for organisations
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Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
Recommendations for online teachers
»Teach responsively, with consideration to learners’ different: motivations, interests, learning histories and resources
» Prepare online learners to study online: norms, practices, expectations, good study habits, functional access
» Enable learners to use their own devices, services and skills» Support access to rich and diverse learning content» Provide a digital environment that is accessible, social and personalisable: open
(for some learners); secure (for others)» Address the barriers to success we have identified for specific groups of learners
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Recommendations for online learners
» Focus on your reasons for learning and review your progress and goals regularly
» Consider whether online learning is right for you.
» Before you sign up, make sure that you have a thorough understanding of what will be expected of you at all stages of the course.
» Consider if you need a support network. » If you have specific needs, ask in advance
how the course provider can help to support your learning.
» Make sure that you have access to the appropriate technologies that you will need.
Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamuc/14305644882/in/photostream/
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What makes a successful online learner webinar
Recommendations for online learners
» Think about your learning ‘space/s’. » Make a timetable and plan your tasks. Be
realistic about what you can complete. » Try to be a ‘reflective learner’. At different
stages of the course consider if your approaches are working for you.
» Be prepared to seek help if you need it from tutors, other learners, or your own support network.
» Consider using any mechanisms provided to create a social presence, such as a place to make a personal profile.
» Take advantage of any means to provide feedback to your course provider.
Photo Credit: Adam Pantozzi/Times Alliancehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/yodelanecdotal/4092671749
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Quick question
Which recommendation is most relevant and actionable for your organisation?
• Please write any comments in the chat window…
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Moving forward
Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
» Online version of the Digital Student Experience Tracker, specifically for online learners/courses/providers
» Adapted questions drew on findings of Online Learners study» 27 institutions signed up: 10 FE/skills, 17 HE: data ready for analysis
in April
What next? Digital student
Image source: flickr.com/photos/yodelanecdotal/4092671749
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New 'Learners Stories' project collecting personal accounts from successful digital learners
Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
» Scaling up online learning
» Curriculum design and support
» Technology and tools for online learning
» Checklists (word document)
Scaling up online learningA series of guides and checklists to help staff understand the decisions that need to be made and the processes involved in scaling up online learning at an organisational level:
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Jan 2017 What makes a successful online learner webinar
For individual staff, teams or as part of CPD Online learning readiness tool
We welcome your feedback!
Scaling up online learning
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Quick poll
Which of the following should Jisc prioritise now?A. Qualitative research with online learnersB. Quantitative research based on data
from the Online Learners TrackerC. Develop further guidance resourcesD. Build a network for peer learning
across institutionsE. Institutional consultancy offer
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Jan 2017What makes a successful online learner webinar
Twitter: #OLSuccessForum: http://olsuccess.loumcgill.co.uk/
What next? Join the conversation online
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