1. Educational Contexts Chapter 11 Human Communication on the Internet Shedletsky & Aitken

2. How Does the Internet Shape Learning? How Does the Internet Shape Learning? And is learning intensified on the Internet? And is learning intensified on the Internet? What paradoxes about education are associated with the Internet? What paradoxes about education are associated with the Internet? Does the Internet enhance collaborative communication in education? Does the Internet enhance collaborative communication in education? Does the Internet add value to education? Does the Internet add value to education? Some Questions about Learning on the Internet

3. The Internet in Education The Internet is used in education in a variety of ways, from: The Internet is used in education in a variety of ways, from: – classroom support (e.g., web pages, email) to to –distance education (e.g., fully on the Internet, using a course environment)

4. Intensified Learning Research has typically found no significant difference in learning outcomes between distance education online and the classroom; Research has typically found no significant difference in learning outcomes between distance education online and the classroom; NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE At the same time, faculty are bothered by the lack of nonverbal feedback in online teaching; At the same time, faculty are bothered by the lack of nonverbal feedback in online teaching; But can we trust the research—much of it is flawed; But can we trust the research—much of it is flawed;

5. Learning Online Students were asked about learning in an online course and many spoke about the convenience; Students were asked about learning in an online course and many spoke about the convenience; And many worried about the loss of social learning as compared to what was assumed to go on in the classroom; And many worried about the loss of social learning as compared to what was assumed to go on in the classroom;

6. A Paradox One obvious paradox is the tension between (a) a lack of hard evidence for the learning value of online education and (b) the growth in online education in higher education; One obvious paradox is the tension between (a) a lack of hard evidence for the learning value of online education and (b) the growth in online education in higher education; Repeatedly, we find treating online pedagogy as special and, at the same time, as a threat to education; Repeatedly, we find treating online pedagogy as special and, at the same time, as a threat to education;

7. Intensification of Effort How does the Internet intensify effort? How does the Internet intensify effort? –Online instruction is essentially a writing medium; –Students comment on how much work they need to do in the electronic discussion; –The teacher is accessible all the time; –Students responding to discussion questions online require greater teacher involvement; –Teachers struggle to keep up with technological change; –Teachers need to adjust instructional patterns, prepare new materials, and invent new ways of being effective;

8. Educational Policy and Internet Communication Policy decisions concerning Web-based academic offerings seem to suffer from the same sort of equivocality as decisions about the value of online academic work; Policy decisions concerning Web-based academic offerings seem to suffer from the same sort of equivocality as decisions about the value of online academic work; –The university is not sure how to announce online courses; –How to charge for them; –How to pay teachers; –Most importantly, the university is not sure about the amount of investment warranted;

9. Academic Collaboration E-mail can provide an excellent means of collaboration among students; E-mail can provide an excellent means of collaboration among students; For students, electronic discussion groups make up an important part of online collaboraton; For students, electronic discussion groups make up an important part of online collaboraton; Academic colleagues, who used to meet only at conferences, can be in frequent contact over the Internet; Academic colleagues, who used to meet only at conferences, can be in frequent contact over the Internet; Undergraduates can contribute scholarship via the Internet; Undergraduates can contribute scholarship via the Internet;

10. Why are there Internet Paradoxes in Education? The pioneer status of the online academician may play a role; The pioneer status of the online academician may play a role; –The pioneer may play a double edged role The pioneer may expand boundaries The pioneer may expand boundaries The pioneer may contribute to a clearer view of our selves The pioneer may contribute to a clearer view of our selves The paradoxes may be due to a poorly developed theory of online teaching; The paradoxes may be due to a poorly developed theory of online teaching; The Internet is a tool: it allows for both good and bad uses; The Internet is a tool: it allows for both good and bad uses;

11. When All is Said and Done The core of the educational process does not change simply because the material is online; The core of the educational process does not change simply because the material is online; We still need to read critically and write well; We still need to read critically and write well;