Chapter 12
E-LEARNING MODELS: DISTANCE, MOBILE, VIRTUAL, AND INFORMAL LEARNING

Since 1990, we have witnessed history in the making as Internet innovation has spread across venues and contexts to provide new possibilities for adult learning. The advancement of distance learning for adult learners has accelerated rapidly but at widely varied rates. Today, most people carry a device that enables them to participate in mobile learning (formal and informal) anywhere they have connectivity. However, it has been a wild ride of innovation and adoption reaching this destination, and distance learning was a necessary stop along the way.

Innovation Sweeps Across Adult Learning Sectors

Workforce development's innovation in distance learning advanced much earlier and more quickly than any other sector. A significant factor in this achievement was that the efforts of early adoption were financed by the participating corporations. Business and industry were certainly years ahead of any other sector to embrace the educational possibilities of distance learning building blocks such as webinars, remote collaborative workgroups, on-demand training resources, and cloud computing. Mobile learning was the next wave to move into workforce training; however, it seems to have remained an informal learning platform only for this setting.

As of 2013, distance learning accounted for 34% of all higher education enrollment (traditional and nontraditional students included) (Allen & Seaman, 2014). As can be seen, postsecondary education was much slower than industry to answer the call to leverage technology for the delivery of courses, training, and ultimately degrees. The advancement of adoption in higher education has been steep since 2000 and has been largely because of not only technology innovation but also the scores of issues that had to be addressed in order for it to happen. Such issues ranged from social adoption of higher education leadership and stakeholders to accreditation issues, resources and strategies for distance learning design, delivery and assessment, professional development of faculty members, faculty rewards, and much more (Fink, 2013).

The adoption of distance learning in adult basic education (ABE) and general educational development (GED) completion has been further delayed because of at least two major reasons: (1) limited resources and (2) concerns regarding access and equity. At these levels, adult learning is always sparingly funded; therefore, to fund innovation would philosophically be a departure from practice. Nonetheless, several US states led the way in exploring the best ways to serve these learners' many needs through Internet-based technologies.

Since about the 1990s, the state of California had promoted using the Internet as an avenue of providing support to adult literacy learners (Askov, Johnston, Petty, & Young, 2003). However it was not until 2008 that most states offered some form of online GED support (Silver-Pacuilla, 2008). Adult literacy and GED learners are prime groups to be served by online learning because scheduling, transportation, and childcare have long been known to be persistent obstacles to participation (Shaw, Mikulecky, & Pilliner, 2013). Offerings, enrollments, and persistence continue to rise in literacy and GED online programs, yet significant challenges continue in the form of funding for development and facilitation of the courses as well as technology literacy and resources for these learners.

Overall, the widespread adoption of distance and mobile learning has been contingent on several developments and trends: technology innovations such as HTML, interfaces, browsers, and smartphones; mainstream adoption of technology; and increased acceptance of distance learning in formal education settings. Online, Web 2.0 technologies have advanced to much greater user-friendliness since 2000. No longer dependent on programming skills or text-based interfaces to access the global servers, today most users transparently access the web with the click of a cell phone or mouse button. The development and widespread adoption of hypertext markup language (HTML) was among the first major stepping stones in the sequence of events that led to this era of distance learning course delivery in the formal education of adults.

Innovation and Adoption

Without the adoption of technology by masses of everyday users, innovation could not have become mainstream. Apple's graphical user interface (GUI) led to Microsoft's similar Windows GUI. This development set the stage for Mosaic to introduce a program that would overlay all the network languages that were needed to access global servers. Netscape, Mosaic, Mozilla, Firefox—these were all first-generation GUI browsers that made surfing the World Wide Web possible for all users. In addition, the development of the iPhone operating system (iOS) not only moved the web to smartphones but also made it possible for a wide array of “apps” (applications) to be developed and proliferate rapidly.

Several corporate and economic factors facilitated the adoption of innovation into the mainstream:

  • Decreasing costs of computer systems
  • The price wars of netbooks circa 2008
  • Major cell phone providers' adoption of promotional smartphones with multiyear contracts
  • The development of the less expensive and robust Android system, which challenged the iPhone

Each of these developments not only dropped the costs of the innovation but also provided user-friendly access to an exceptional number and array of resources. Innovation also progressed in the use of the technology as corporations and private inventors rapidly entered first the web-based marketplace and then smartphone app realm with mass-appealing social media, gaming, educational, and edutainment offerings.

These dynamic influences have been so successful that a recent United Nations (Wang, 2013) report disclosed that of the world's 7 billion people, 6 billion had access to a cell phone, whereas there are only 4.5 billion toilets. The dramatic dichotomy of the fact starkly contrasts the digital age with prior eras. This data point was distributed worldwide in a sound bite that took on a life of its own: “More people own cell phones than toilets” (Wang, 2013).

The data became even more curious as they revealed that in India although one-half of the population owns cell phones only one-third has access to toilets. Based on the reports, these data juxtaposed economic status, technology innovation, and health practices. In India, economic advancement and technology innovation did not necessarily equate to a proportionate advancement in health practices. Priorities, access—there are many reasons—but the situation illustrates that one cannot make assumptions about nations and cultures based on technology innovation alone. Which brings us full circle to the discussion of innovation. How is distance education best used today? What are characteristics of excellent distance education? And, how can instructors best incorporate adult learning for distance and mobile education? The next section will address these questions and more.

e-Learning

Distance learning has many names and forms:

  • Distributed learning, which emphasizes that learning resources and users are distributed
  • Distance learning, which implies substantial physical distance between users (which is not always the case)
  • Virtual learning, which can be a three-dimensional simulated environment
  • Mobile learning, which is delivered usually to portable devices such as tablets or smartphones
  • Blended or hybrid learning, which mixes traditional face-to-face instruction with some form of distance learning delivery system and beyond

If the multiplicity of terms was not confounding enough, the lack of precise definition and reference is extreme. When one reads about blended learning, does it mean that the face-to-face and remote delivery was split 50-50, 60-40, 20-80, or any other possible combination? And when discussing online learning, does it refer to virtual e-learning, simultaneous (synchronous), nonsimultaneous (asynchronous), informal, credit course work, workplace training, or something else entirely? Is an instructor involved and to what extent? And is it a class of 10 or 1,000 participants (such as with MOOCs)?

One example of how researchers cope with this confusion of terms is to state their use of the terms for their particular study. In Allen and Seaman's (2010) report regarding the status of US higher education online learning, they used the demarcations presented in Table 12.1 to differentiate among traditional, web-facilitated, blended, and online learning. The breakdowns of participation online and the descriptions are revealing to understand the differences among the delivery modes.

Table 12.1 Definitions of Types of Online Learning

Proportion of Content Delivered Online (%) Type of Course Typical Description
0 Traditional Course with no online technology used—content is delivered in writing or orally
1 to 29 Web-facilitated Course that uses web-based technology to facilitate what is essentially a face-to-face course; may use a course management system (CMS) or web pages to post the syllabus and assignments
30 to 79 Blended or hybrid Course that blends online and face-to-face delivery; substantial proportion of the content is delivered online, typically using online discussions, and typically has a reduced number of face-to-face meetings
80 to 100 Online A course in which most or all of the content is delivered online; typically has no face-to-face meetings

Source: Allen and Seaman (2010). Used by permission.

Certainly, even from person to person the terms can lack precision. More important for our discussion is the opportunity for the forms to be variable within every category. The result of such customization and flexibility is that there are as many types of distance learning, mobile learning, and MOOCs as there are instructors who design them!

Therefore, a wise strategy for this discussion is to consider the benefits of the various formats in order that instructors and learners may make effective decisions. This section will discuss the benefits of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning, blended e-learning, and mobile e-learning.

Asynchronous e-Learning

This broad term refers to learning that is delivered nonsimultaneously via online technology. This delivery method does not require the instructor and users to be connected at the same time. One of the major advantages of this format is the elimination or reduction of time constraints. Some learners might watch videos and answer questions in the middle of the night, and others are able to log in during the afternoon or evening to do the same. However, there are many other opportunities to customize the format for asynchronous e-learning:

  • The class size is not inherently limited (consider MOOCs).
  • The possibilities for peer learning and collaboration are many (small groups, large groups, discussion boards, collaborative projects, etc.).
  • There are scores of options for presenting or discovering knowledge (e.g., video and audio clips, presentations, web pages, articles, books, dialogue, interactivity, music, movies, animations, graphics, simulations, etc.).

Synchronous e-Learning

When learners and instructors connect simultaneously via technology it is described as synchronous e-learning. Given the great benefits of flexibility that asynchronicity provides, why would anyone persevere through scheduling and technical difficulties simply for a live connection? Perhaps the greatest reason for live instructional video, audio, or presentation connections is the word relationship. Unlike asynchronous communication, when people share a live interface, all have additional communication cues available. Simultaneous communication offers more dynamic interaction than nonsimultaneous simply because of the possibility to (more or less) instantly react to other peoples' comments, reactions, or questions. This benefit is a very important one, and e-learning designers and instructors eternally wrestle with the cost-benefit analysis of live interaction and dialogue (synchronous) versus fewer logistical technical difficulties (asynchronous). Moreover, issues of equity and access need to be considered when some potential participants might not have access to high-bandwidth connections or advanced technology equipment needed for optimum synchronous interaction.

Blended e-Learning

There are a plethora of possibilities when one enters the realm of blended e-learning (also referred to as hybrid or mixed-mode learning). Many scholars, researchers, and educators consider that blended e-learning provides the best options of synchronous and asynchronous e-learning (Finger, Sun, & Jamieson-Proctor, 2010; Garrison & Kanuka, 2004; Kim & Bonk, 2006).

Among the most popular blended-learning formats are combining face-to-face sessions with online sessions. This format affords many advantages because the in-person portion offers more opportunities for social interaction, access to nonverbal cues that support affinity-seeking efforts, casually building relationships, familiarity and trust, addressing and diffusing misunderstanding of knowledge or communications, formative feedback for all participants, and more (Garrison & Vaughan, 2008; Kim & Bonk, 2006). In addition, the online sessions provide the benefits of greater flexibility in scheduling (because not all sessions need to be synchronous and in-person), time savings (because of no travel to a central location), self-directedness, peer learning and collaboration, and student responsibility for learning (Finger et al., 2010; Garrison & Vaughan, 2008; Kim & Bonk, 2006).

Lest readers think that blended learning is the perfect solution for e-learning, it can also have problems. Just as other types of e-learning require much planning and careful design, the same is true of blended learning (Finger et al., 2010; Garrison & Vaughan, 2008). In addition to the usual design demands, one must also consider which activities best fit the face-to-face or remote sessions and rearrange or transform them based on that assessment. Planning, coordination, and facilitation become key concerns in blended learning.

Mobile e-Learning

This version of e-learning is likely part of most digital age adults' daily life because it only requires a handheld device and can be used in formal and informal learning situations. Chances are we engage transparently in mobile learning most every day and remain unaware of it. We are engaged in informal mobile learning whenever we use our mobile devices (GPS, smartphone, cell phone, iPod, iPad, Tablet, etc.) to find an address, determine if the cleaners or grocery store is still open, use a YouTube video in order to fix the lawn mower, or diagnosis a rash.

The knowledge explosion of the information age, coupled with technology innovation and adoption, makes mobile learning available by fingertip or voice command (Siri on the iPhone and Google Now on Androids). Because of these factors, mobile learning is a very different phenomenon than the other forms of e-learning (Goggin, 2010). It has become transparently adopted and assimilated into our lives in the digital age. Given the expectation of others and the reliance users have on mobile learning, developing the foundational skills is even more essential for adult learners.

However, what are the benefits of mobile learning? Based on societal adoption some are more obvious than others:

  • Ubiquitous access to desired information
  • Provides access to informal learning 24/7 (Sharples, 2000)
  • Builds greater learning independence and responsibility among users
  • Affords a gateway to formal learning through mobile apps or browsers

At the same time, there are some drawbacks to mobile learning, including an overwhelming amount of available information (Koole, 2009), the potential for interfering with formal learning (Sharples, 2002), blurring work and private lives (Gant & Kiesler, 2002), and issues of privacy and ownerships (Gant & Kiesler, 2002; Sharples, Taylor, & Vavoula, 2005). Thus, self-control and discipline need to be applied in new ways with the ubiquitous availability of mobile learning.

e-Learning Theories and Models for the Digital Age

There are several common characteristics of e-learning that have proven effective in guiding learners to discover knowledge and accomplish their educational goals. The e-learning literature has several popular models and theories that provide such direction.

One of the most popular theories of distance learning is Moore's (1993) theory of transactional distance. Moore explains that in distance learning the true distance between teacher and learning is not a function of physical space but of communication space. Moreover, although transactional distance can be effectively reduced by providing feedback, communicating frequently with students, and more, it can also be a “space of potential misunderstanding” (Moore, 1993, p. 50).

Chen (2001) advanced the understanding further by using the learners' perspective: “Transactional distance perceived by learners is a combination of four essential dimensions: learner-instructor, learner-learner, learner-content, and learner-interface transactional distance” (p. 462). Further research and discussion of the theory (Shu-Fang & Aust, 2008) has delineated that not only is instructor dialogue essential but also the program structure contributes to positive or negative experiences through these essential four dimensions.

Another powerful model for e-learning was introduced by Palloff and Pratt in 1999: the model of online learning communities. This powerful concept created deep roots in the e-learning world. This depth built on concepts and related literature with which that field was familiar: learning organizations, collaborative learning, and peer learning (Senge, 1990).

In 1990, Senge's book, The Fifth Discipline, included his proposed model that thriving business organizations were those that followed five principles to become learning communities: systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, building shared vision, and team learning. One of the foundational premises was that organizations would be able to continually transform and thrive only if they embraced flexibility and change while investing in their staff's learning, empowerment, and contributions. Within these parameters, employees would learn and grow. Furthermore, through a reciprocal dynamic they would freely and eagerly invest their ideas and themselves in the organization. This model explained how the staff would become the organization's engine of innovation and success in learning organizations.

Just prior to 2000, Senge's model began spreading further into the literature of adult learning and higher education. By the 2000s, learning communities were popular concepts for adult and higher education organizations and institutions. Instead of solely providing learning as a service to enrolled students, such colleges and organizations began to focus on how their faculty and staff members engaged in learning as well.

The principles of team learning and shared vision were used as foundations for further developments in organizational understanding and applications of collaborative learning and peer learning. With collaborative learning, groups of employees would work together on a project (Bruffee, 1999; Jacques, 2000). Best practice techniques might include members from the same or different departments who engaged in problem-solving organizational policies or projects. From human resource policies to machinery protocols, manufacturing instructions and marketing campaigns, bringing different perspectives and experiences together at the table provides a wealth of insight. Techniques to harness and facilitate this inherent energy and potential would also be used to maximize the efforts and reduce possible conflict.

Peer learning provided a different set of strategies in which staff members could seek assistance from colleagues. This model liberates people from the traditional constraints of asking only instructors or trainers for assistance. Peer learning models (Jacques, 2000; Saunders, 1992; Topping, 1996, 2005) bring opportunities to answer questions, overcome roadblocks, and improve practice closer to the scene of action (e.g., on the shop floor versus the classroom or corporate office) and without differences in power or status.

Altogether the widespread adoption of Senge's (1990) learning organizations paved the way for educators, trainers, and people in business to comprehend the power of Palloff and Pratt's model of building collaborative communities in online learning spaces (2002, 2007, 2010).

Gagne's (1974; Gagne, Wager, Golas, Keller, & Russell, 2005) model of instructional design has had an impact on e-learning because of its content and also because it birthed a formal area of study and expertise. The career of instructional design became formalized as experts who support faculty members with integrating technology into their traditional courses and design. Since 2010 alone, there has been more institutionalization of instructional designers in US higher education than ever before. This strategy evolved over the prior 20 years.

Previously, early adopter faculty members designed and progressively improved their online courses by themselves. Then, faculty members were offered incentives to design distance learning courses. In the current model, instructional design experts assist faculty members, the content experts, in designing e-learning across delivery modes. However, not all instructional designers are aware of adult learning principles, and they focus on design, not active learning opportunities. The next section of this chapter describes several strategies that provide effective solutions that incorporate adult learning.

Strategies for Using e-Learning in the Digital Age

Active learning is a powerful means for engagement in any context; however, for e-learning it is especially important to focus learners' efforts. Well-constructed e-learning activities scaffold prior learning, access learners' current skills, and coordinate to advance learners' capabilities and understanding further. This section provides five strategies that may be adapted and applied across content areas and learning settings.

Strategy 12.1: Wikis for Collaborative Learning

There are many wiki platforms that are freely accessible, and many are dedicated to educational applications (i.e., Wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com), Zoho Wiki (https://www.zoho.com/wiki/wiki-education.html), Wikidot (http://www.wikidot.com/), and so on. Among the greatest benefits of wikis for adults learners is that they can be used to create authentic, shareable evidence of learning in the form of documents, policies, projects, proposals, assessments, budgets, reviews, critiques, and so on.

The wiki was developed by Cunningham in 1995 (Hiskey, 2010). Because the technology of wikis was developed to enable groups of people to quickly and collaboratively develop web pages, Cunningham named it for a Hawaiian airport shuttle express. The simplicity of wikis are part of the appeal for learning activities.

Assigning learners to collaboratively develop a wiki that documents their research and solution for a discipline-related problem provides many benefits:

  1. Unlike many other file- and document-sharing sites, with wikis, learners may work on the document simultaneously without causing technical errors.
  2. By viewing the backside of the wiki, the instructor and learners see all the work that everyone contributed. The wiki platform saves all deletions, additions, and changes in cloaked code that can be easily read by nonprogrammers. It is as easy as clicking one button on the screen to toggle this view on and off.
  3. Learners gain much insight about their relative contribution to collaborative efforts, meaning-making, knowledge construction, and production of deliverables by being able to see it in a wiki.

When we assign wikis for collaborative tasks or assignments, we need to facilitate the process while being mindful and proactive regarding its benefits and limitations. The following suggestions support smooth progress in creating and facilitating wiki projects:

  1. Provide specific instructions regarding participation, use of the wiki, project product, and assessment criteria.
  2. Provide a video-based, on-demand tutorial for learners to access the wiki platform whenever they need it.
  3. Make sure organizers have access to each of the wikis during development so they can check on progress and intervene in case of major problems.
  4. Schedule at least one synchronous (if possible) consulting meeting with each group to discuss progress and address any questions or issues.
  5. Include opportunities for each group member to submit some form of a self-reflection about the collaborative experience, the technology, and their learning.

Which group projects will benefit first from wiki support? For your continued learning on this topic, the following resources relate to wikis for collaborative projects: Conrad and Donaldson (2012), Palloff and Pratt (2008), and Richardson (2010).

Strategy 12.2: Virtual Consultations and Office Hours

Mentioned in the previous example, synchronous virtual consultations or office hours can be powerful learning activities for building learning relationships among instructors, trainers, and learners while providing much needed feedback (Li & Pitts, 2009). These options have significant value given that they address some of the major reasons students do not complete online courses: lack of social interaction, feedback, or contact with the instructor (Aragon & Johnson, 2008; Willging & Johnson, 2009). During the session, there are many possibilities for the technology features that can be used to support communication and build a sense of presence (Lehman & Conceição, 2010).

Lehman and Conceição (2010) discuss determinants of online presence at great length, provide evaluation tools, and describe strategies for assessing learner needs and course goals in choosing multiple solutions. The purpose is to design a whole-class experience that has multiple reminders of and opportunities to gain guidance from and reach out to the distance instructor. The following suggestions provide a starting point for reflecting on this opportunity and choosing among several options immediately available.

Of course, instructors want to consider their goals in being available for learners and then select among the options accordingly:

  • Video with voice
  • Voice only
  • Text chat only
  • Text chat with video
  • E-mail
  • Telephone (VOIP, cell phone, or landlines)
  • Simulated environments (meet in your Second Life office?)
  • Skype (and other IP-conferencing platforms)
  • LMS conferencing space (e.g., Blackboard Collaborate), and so on

As noted, instructors must remember that different technologies can be combined to provide multiple communication streams in one communication session. For instance, some web-based conferencing platforms enable people to use a telephone to call in if they have no access to or difficulties with the computer-based audio connection. Other contexts may make web conferencing impossible, and the use of SMS or e-mail may prove to be the preferred means of hosting virtual office hours. In my experience, it is good to have a contingency plan. For instance, one might plan to meet on Skype voice or telephone if video is not available.

The purpose of the virtual session can be any of the following and more: Q&A session, problem-solving tutorial, assignment progress report or update, interview opportunity, project or assignment consultation, career, academic, or assignment advising. Regarding the format, do not always restrict the audience to one person at a time. When texting, conversation lags while each person types; therefore, having several people in the virtual space can be managed. If instructors use video or voice for small- or large-group virtual meetings, procedures and ground rules need to be established in order for people to gain opportunities to participate equitably. If needed, a detailed discussion of facilitating virtual sessions can be found in Cox and Williams (2011).

For your continued learning regarding this topic, some other recommended resources related to virtual office hours include Conrad and Donaldson (2012), Lehman and Conceição (2010), and Li and Pitts (2009).

Strategy 12.3: Media and Community Building

In a very different strategy, having learners create a media project that relates to their family, cultural, or community history can be effective in providing a shared experience and building community. Interviews are effective means of data gathering for such assignments. Planning, conducting, and analyzing the interviews include a breadth of valuable 21st-century skills that span problem-solving, question development, interviewing skills, data gathering, analysis, interpretation, media development skills (e.g., video, multimedia, audio, graphics, etc.).

Media projects truly enable adult learners to leverage their personal and professional communication and creative strengths while introducing new technical and analytical skills that can be embedded in the content area. Instructors can specify which format or formats learners may select for their media project or leave the choice open. A partial list of media projects that may be developed include mock newspaper or magazine articles, podcast radio interviews, video documentaries, music video (MTV)–style productions, multimedia presentations (e.g., PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.), narrated media presentations, video- or audio-recorded debates, multimedia collages, interpretative graphic design, and more.

Recommendations to guide instructors in shaping these learning experiences include the following:

  • Identifying a content-related area for the interviews
  • Having all learners share and discuss their prospective questions on the LMS discussion board
  • Facilitating group knowledge sharing (via video- or text-based discussion) regarding understandings and recommendations for interviewing and observation strategies
  • Segmenting and submitting the assignment in up to five different parts: topic, proposed questions, final media project, peer review, learning reflection)
  • Requiring all learners to share their final media project online with the group
  • Facilitating peer review of media projects
  • Guiding learners through the expectations, development, and production of a self-reflective essay

The potential for deep learning through this creative mode is unlimited. Moreover, learners have the ability to use their peer experience, community, and real-life concerns to cultivate valuable 21st-century skills.

For your continued learning regarding this topic, the following resources related to media development and collaborative projects will be helpful: Conrad and Donaldson (2012), King and Cox (2011), Palloff and Pratt (2008), and Richardson (2010).

Strategy 12.4: Virtual Problem-Solving

Many instructors and trainers may think that demonstrating or facilitating large-group problem-solving is very difficult in e-learning environments, but this challenge has been conquered in the digital age. Several options compatible with virtual environments are available for instructors to select the best options to meet their needs to demonstrate, teach, or facilitate in problem-solving.

Consider that our course content includes solving problems and that we need to use a combination of any of the following: words, numbers, figures, images, graphics, tables, and so on. Solutions range from simple to very advanced and complicated technology. This example models how combining a few strategies will meet the wide range of needs of many learners:

The virtual whiteboard application that is embedded in, or added onto, your institutional LMS provides many tools that simplify virtual problem-solving. There will be options to adjust the width and color of the virtual markers, eraser, and drawing tools, import images, and save your work as an image file. Advance planning and a private practice session or two will ramp up the instructor's virtual presentation skills quickly.

The following list provides key recommendations and sequences for developing your first virtual problem-solving session:

  • Identify the nature and details of an essential problem type related to the course content.
  • Review the available virtual whiteboard or presentation resources embedded or added into the LMS. (If necessary, seek additional direction regarding recommendations or location of these resources from your institution's instructional designers.)
  • Gather, review, and list all materials needed to conduct the problem-solving session. (These may include digital images of objects, scenes, specimen, data, etc.; raw data; data displays or charts [tables, graphs, etc.]; instructional materials that have been or will be distributed to learners regarding the content or problem-solving; prompting questions for learners; lesson plans and guides for the activity.)
  • Conduct a private practice session and the entire problem-solving session in the virtual space. During this session, jot down the sequence of steps you followed, notes to improve the flow, narrative of instruction, questions for learners, technology choices and tips, and so on. This documentation becomes your personal script for the live session.
  • Given the virtual environment, redesign the frequency, length, and focus of the prompting questions that you will ask learners.
  • Review and select the ways in which participants may contribute to solving the problem during the live session. For example, when learners want to ask or answer questions, will they use an audio or text chat window, raise their virtual hand (unique LMS feature), hold answers to the end of the step or entire session, submit via e-mail, submit to a third person, or … ?
  • Revise your lesson guide (live session script) to incorporate practice session findings.
  • Conduct and video record the second practice session with available lecture capture technology.
  • Revise your live session script to incorporate the second practice session findings.
  • Use your customized, tested live session script to conduct the virtual problem session with learners.
  • Upload the video recording and instructions for accessing it to the LMS.
  • Incorporate findings from the entire process into the script for next time!

Although there are several steps in preparing for effective virtual problem-solving sessions, using such a rigorous approach has multiple benefits: (1) Fewer problems will be encountered. (2) Greater learner engagement will be possible. (3) Learners who are not present will be able to learn from the session. (4) All current and future learners will have an on-demand problem-solving tutorial available 24/7. (5) Instructors will become increasingly efficient in designing, facilitating, and innovating the virtual sessions.

When you plan your next virtual session, you likely will reduce preparation steps and time by 30% to 50%. Each successive experience designing and facilitating virtual problem-solving sessions will create greater efficiency and insight. For your continued learning on this topic, I have selected several resources related to virtual problem-solving: Aldrich (2009a, 2009b), Conrad and Donaldson (2012), Friedman (2005), Jonassen (2008), Palloff and Pratt (2008), and Russell (2009).

Strategy 12.5: Collaborative Knowledge Development

One of the best-kept secrets about virtual spaces is the opportunity to create knowledge collaboratively. For adults in the digital age, this strategy is especially relevant because it increases transfer of learning by providing an authentic application similar to the context in which it will be used.

Much of the work of the 21st century is conducted in collaborative teams. Many authors, including Enriquez (2001), Friedman (2005), and Tapscott (2008; Tapscott & Williams, 2006), discuss how silos have been torn down to reduce isolated work and increase the development of better collaborative, interdisciplinary products. In addition, as mentioned previously, these authors demonstrate how the nature of work in our society has transitioned from routine and repetitive tasks to generating new knowledge through the development of innovative products and projects.

Incorporating learning activities that include collaborative learning and knowledge development therefore accomplishes many meaningful goals for adult learners today. The following list identifies several of these benefits:

  • Developing higher-order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, interpretation, etc.) and knowledge construction that are valued in the workplace
  • Cultivating collaborative team skills of communication, negotiation, cooperation, conflict management, empathy, balancing individual and group interests, and so on
  • Building competencies in discovering new solutions through brainstorming, questioning, networking, research, observation, testing, risk-taking, and evaluation
  • Honing collaborative presentation skills including assignment of roles, writing, speaking, planning, designing, evaluating, potentially digital recording, and more
  • Developing related technology skills to facilitate each of these activities (e.g., cloud file sharing, wikis, online project management, graphic organizers, virtual conferencing, etc.)

What would assignments for such a collaborative project look like? Please use the following example as a guide and stimulus for creatively developing projects for your adult learners. The assignment is presented just as it would appear in an e-learning class.

Set the letter in a handwriting font with a shadow/border that suggests a piece of paper. Graphic goes inside feature

This project enables learners to consider a real-life scenario in a motivating format. As collaborative teams they seek to develop and submit the strongest solution. For your continued learning on online collaborative learning and projects, here are some available resources: Aldrich (2009a, 2009b), Conrad and Donaldson (2012), King and Cox (2011), Palloff and Pratt (2007, 2008, 2010), and Russell (2009).

Conclusion

With innovation abounding in the digital age, it should be no surprise that learners of all ages engage in many dimensions of e-learning. In order to provide a substantial foundation, this chapter discussed many of the dominant forms of e-learning and their benefits, limitations, and opportunities. In addition, the final sections presented many valuable strategies to leverage those e-learning formats using adult learning strategies. The next chapter continues to build on this information as it discusses an important new dimension of study and application for the digital age: the psychology of technology use and adoption.

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