Session 2: Delivery and Assessment

 1. Three key things associated with delivery of eLearning are:

As discussed by Dr. Newberry (2014) about Delivery, Evaluation and Assessment: Communicating with students in a variety of ways e.g. through emails, discussions, audio channels like podcast and videos helps to promote engagement in eLearning. The most effective type of communication between the instructor and the student is two way communication. Blackboard has tools like discussion board, journals, collaboration and emails which can be used.

Monitoring student understanding and progress. Instructor can achieve this by allowing students to respond to topics of discussion.
Monitoring student engagement by giving out frequent assignments for every work that is covered.

2. Difference between assessment and evaluation. Why is understanding the difference important in eLearning?
Dr. Newberry (2014) has given a distinction between assessment and evaluation. “Assessment is measurement of learning, usually associated with specific learning objectives or other established criteria.” The main idea is to find out how well students are learning what is being taught and if there is any need to improve on how learning is delivered.
On the other hand, evaluation can include assessment, but also includes a judgment of quality, establishment of value or worth along with communication about the significance of the student performance.
Understanding the difference will help instructors to develop assessment techniques which will track the progress of students and assess the effectiveness of the curriculum. Assigning grades can be done using tests, rubrics and a one page reflection summary of what was learned during the weeks’ discussion. Reviewing what other students have posted on blackboard can also be used. Both methods help students to track their own progress and improve on their skills accordingly.

3. One of the readings this week suggests that a chat room should be set up to promote social interaction in online classes. Which reading is this and what are the pros and cons to this suggestion?
Online Course Delivery: Issues and Challenges.

Social interaction: 

• Enhances students’ ability to learn from one another i.e. student-centered learning.
• Helps to provoke critical thinking and active learning. 
• It is a good way to build community.
• Support convenient communication.

I believe while interacting, any negative comments can discourage others. I did not clearly understand any cons related to social interaction in online classes as suggested in the above reading.

4. "Deep learning" as discussed in the readings. Is "deep learning" something we should promote in online learning? Why and how?
Deep learning is a transforming process which leads to greater personal understanding. Learning is viewed as a personal development where students actively engage in it. The student’s aim is to understand ideas and relate them to previous knowledge and experience.

Daniel points out that deep learning “comes from the student that is first given enough time to absorb the material through reading, listening or engaging in another form of information transfer regarding the material.” It gives students time to develop an in depth understanding of the material and they can explain concepts on their own.

Online environment places students at the center of learning and promotes active participation through various interactions hence a good tool for deep learning. This can be achieved by breaking workload into manageable topics for students to cover comfortably (Cognitive load theory), presenting electronic information, enhancing discussion forums, sharing information on blogs, videos and podcast, providing web resources relevant to the topic of discussion, constant feedback from the instructor and use of various assessment tools.

5. Identify and explain each of Kolb's four-stage learning cycle.
Experience – the learner receives new information which improves his /her performance (active experience).

Observation and reflection - the learner considers and reflects on the active experience, begins to assimilate the new information and replaces it in the context of existing learning to allow an accommodation between the new learning experience and previous learning.

Formation of abstract concepts and generalizations - the learner explores the interrelationships between the old and the new learning experience and fits the new learning into his/her body of existing ideas and theories.

Hypothesis tested by active experimentation - the learner applies the new theories and ideas to the problem solving and, having had a successful learning experience, the learner plans the next experience. I would refer to this as application stage.

6. Explain how the readings this week (and your own research) connects with the Blackboard discussion.
The readings had important information which was useful in facilitating blackboard discussion questions about: shallow vs deep learning (as discussed in Q.4) and social interaction between students in eLearning classes.

7. Quote your best entry from this week's Blackboard discussion. Explain why you chose it and what it demonstrates about your understanding, learning process etc.
Tu & McIsaac (2002) have identified three dimensions of social presence as social context, online communication and interactivity as important elements in establishing a sense of community among online learners. They go on to say social presence is a measure of the feeling of community that e-Learners experience in an online environment.

Social interaction has been broadly described. Without it 

eLearning can turn to be a lonely activity. The more people 

interact, the more they learn from each other and getting 

more ideas about a given topic of discussion. 


8. Identify the student you think was the most important participant in the Blackboard discussion. Explain why and provide at least one quote from that student's contributions to the Blackboard discussion.
I believe it is Laura because she gave constructive feedback to colleagues and also provided a very detailed resource material about deep vs. shallow learning. 

Quote from contributions: “Yet, I find that some of the very instructors who teach learning theory and stress the importance of minimizing cognitive load, are the very ones that assign tasks that overload the student and prevent deeper learning, even when the student desires deeper learning.”

9. Reflect on what you have learned this week. What have you learned that has the potential to inform or influence you or your practice of online learning going forward? Explain why.

I have learned about application of shallow and deep learning in online learning. Being an online student, I will practice deep learning to broaden my understanding of issues and improve my performance as presented by Kolb's learning cycle stage 3 & 4.

REFERENCES.

Tu, C. , & McIsaac, M. (2002). The relationship of social 

presence and interaction in online classes. American Journal 

of Distance Education, 16(3), 131.