Online Learning: Benefits and Barriers · Online Learning: Benefits and Barriers What does online...
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Online Learning: Benefits and Barriers What does online learning look like? Today’s student is presented with a wide array of online technologies for accessing educational material and a diverse selection of settings in which to utilize them. The technological tools employed in online learning are constantly evolving, and include both synchronous and asynchronous communication outlets, as well as online web portals, blogs, web chat, email, video lectures, and more. Of these technology‐enhanced settings, blended/hybrid classrooms and distance learning are increasingly used 2,3,11 . In distance learning, students receive the entirety of their instruction online. In blended/hybrid courses, students access educational content in both a traditional brick and mortar classroom and online settings. In addition to blended/hybrid classes, many traditional classrooms supplement instruction with online learning components. Research Brief Who are the students participating in online learning? In 2001‐2011, 46% of college graduates had taken a class online. 11 4‐15% of college students complete their degree entirely online. 3, 11 In 2011‐2012, more than 4 million K‐12 students were learning online. 7 College students who are older, have full time jobs, spouses, or dependents are more likely to en‐ roll in distance learning. 12 Online learning may be particularly beneficial for rural and/or gifted deaf learners. 4 Where is online learning happening? About 90% of colleges offer distance‐learning opportunities. 1 Around 75% of K‐12 schools offer blended‐learning programs. 5 High schools are increasingly offering distance education opportunities. 2, 3, 5, 7 Online learning is already a prerequisite for graduation in 5 states. 7 Online learning is increasingly used in deaf education settings, particularly for specialized programs (i.e., teacher training and science education). 6, 13 “Online learning is increasingly used in deaf education settings.”
Transcript of Online Learning: Benefits and Barriers · Online Learning: Benefits and Barriers What does online...
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OnlineLearning:BenefitsandBarriers
Whatdoesonlinelearninglooklike?Today’s student is presented with a wide array of online technologies for accessing
educational material and a diverse selection of settings in which to utilize them. Thetechnological tools employed in online learning are constantly evolving, and include bothsynchronousandasynchronouscommunicationoutlets,aswell asonlinewebportals,blogs,webchat,email,videolectures,andmore.
Of these technology‐enhanced settings, blended/hybrid classrooms and distancelearningareincreasinglyused2,3,11.Indistancelearning,studentsreceivetheentiretyoftheirinstructiononline.Inblended/hybridcourses,studentsaccesseducationalcontentinbothatraditional brick and mortar classroom and online settings. In addition to blended/hybridclasses,manytraditionalclassroomssupplementinstructionwithonlinelearningcomponents.
ResearchBrief
Whoarethestudentsparticipatinginonlinelearning? In2001‐2011,46%ofcollegegraduateshadtakenaclassonline.11
4‐15%ofcollegestudentscompletetheirdegreeentirelyonline.3,11
In2011‐2012,morethan4millionK‐12studentswerelearningonline.7
Collegestudentswhoareolder,havefulltimejobs,spouses,ordependentsaremorelikelytoen‐rollindistancelearning.12
Onlinelearningmaybeparticularlybeneficialforruraland/orgifteddeaflearners.4
Whereisonlinelearninghappening?
About90%ofcollegesofferdistance‐learningopportunities.1
Around75%ofK‐12schoolsofferblended‐learningprograms.5
Highschoolsareincreasinglyofferingdistanceeducationopportunities.2,3,5,7
Onlinelearningisalreadyaprerequisiteforgraduationin5states.7
Onlinelearningisincreasinglyusedindeafeducationsettings,particularlyforspecializedprograms(i.e.,teachertrainingandscienceeducation).6,13
“Onlinelearningisincreasinglyusedindeafeducationsettings.”
Onlinelearningisoften
saidto“levelthe
playingfield”fordeaf
students.
Whatdodeafstudentsexperienceinonlinelearning?
Increasedquantityandqualityinteractionswithprofessorsandpeers.9,10
Greateraccesstocoursecontent.9,14
Highercomprehension,learningoutcomes,andgrades.6,8,14
Communicationdifficultiesrelatedtoclassroomaccommodationscanbeavoided.10
Whatarethingstobemindfulofwhendesigningonlinelearningcontent? Interaction,feedback,andmultimodalinstructionareallcrucialtosuccessfullearning.
Accessibilityislostwhenonlinelearningcoursesutilizeaudiocontentwithoutcaptionsortranscripts,servicesreliantonvoicecommunication,and/orexclusivelyEnglishcontentwithoutASLtranslationsoftextandaudiocontent.
Visualdemandsshouldbeminimized.Multitaskingdemandsarehigherondeafstudents,astheymustattendtovideorepresentationofaudiocontentinadditiontoattendingtothesamevisualinformationhearingstudentsarepresentedwith.15
Whilehearingstudentscanattendtomultiplesourcesofauditoryandvisualstimulisimultaneously,deafstudentsmustswitchbetweensourcesconsecutively,whichoftenleadstomissedinformationwhencontentispresentedconcurrently.16
Lagsininternetconnectioncandisruptreceptionofinformation.Allvideorepresentationsoftheaudiostreamshouldberewindableandaccessiblewithouttimelimit.
Over‐video captions are preferable for non‐technical content, while full transcripts arepreferablefortechnicalcontent.17
Whatroledoesinternetchatplayinonlinelearningfordeafstudents? Increasedinteractionleadstoacademicgainsforbothdeafandhearingstudents.8
Deafstudentsreportfeelingthatonlinechat“levelstheplayingfield”forthem.8,9
Evendeafstudentswithlowerliteracyreportpositiveexperienceswithonlinechat.8,9
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References
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2011[NCES2012‐045](NCES2012‐045).Washington,D.C.:U.S.DepartmentofEducation,NationalCenterforEducationStatistics.
4Belcastro,F.P.(2004).Ruralgiftedstudentswhoaredeaforhardofhearing:Howelectronictechnology canhelp.AmericanAnnalsoftheDeaf,149(4),309.313.16Cavender,A.C.,Bigham,J.P.&Ladner,R.E.(2009,October).ClassInFocus:Enablingimprovedvisualattention strategiesfordeafandhardofhearingstudents.InProceedingsofthe11thinternationalACM SIGACCESSconferenceoncomputersandaccessibility(pp.67‐74)5Education&theWorkforceCommittee.(2013).Didyouknow?10fastfactsonschoolchoice.Retrieved fromhttp://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=31824017Kushalnagar,R.S.,Lasecki,W.S.&Bigham,J.P.(2012,October).Areadabilityevaluationofreal‐time crowdcaptionsintheclassroom.InProceedingsofthe11thinternationalACMSIGACCESSconference oncomputersandaccessibility,(pp.67‐74).ACM.6Lang,H.G.,&Steely,D.(2003).Web‐basedscienceinstructionfordeafstudents:Whatresearchsaystothe
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10Luetke,B.(2009).EvaluatingDeafeducationWeb‐basedcoursework.AmericanannalsoftheDeaf, 154(1),62‐70.11Parker,K.,Lernhart,A.,&Moore,K.(2011).Thedigitalrevolution:Mainreport.PewResearchInternet Project.Retrievedfrom:http://www.pewinternet.org/2011/08/28/main‐report‐17/12Radford,A.W.(2012).Learningatadistance:Undergraduateenrollmentindistanceeducationcoursesand
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learnerswhoaredeaf,hard‐of‐hearing,orhearing.AmericanAnnalsoftheDeaf,153(3),304‐308.13Smith,C.,&Allman,T.(2010).Meetingthechallengesofdeafeducationteacherpreparation:Innovative
practicesinonlinelearning.JournalofOnlineLearningandTeaching,6,523‐532.14Wang,Q.(2006).Blendingelectronicandclassroomteachingtosupportdeafandhard‐of‐hearingcollege
students.InWorldConferenceonE‐LearninginCorporate,Government,Healthcare,andHigherEducation(Vol.2006,No.1,pp.2471‐2478).
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