What Does Online Learning Look Like in 2033?
“The future of technology is inevitably going to advance the way learners experience online and blended learning.”
Source: https://news.mit.edu/2020/iot-deep-learning-1113
As learning designers, we must be open and enthusiastic to understand new platforms to produce the highest-quality learning designs. As user capabilities and technological applications continue to expand across social and economic dimensions, the demand for people who can integrate technology with pedagogy, improve classroom instruction, and support online and distance learning efforts will also continue to grow (Nworie, 2022).
The ways that learners connect with online learning experiences have shifted consistently since the early 2000s and will continue to do so through the technological developments of each generation. As a result of technological advances, learner engagement is at the forefront of the design process for learning designers. Czerkawski and Lyman’s research (2016) found that for e-learning design and development to be successful, online instructors require better approaches to increasing student engagement. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) states that student engagement is defined as “how the institution deploys its resources and organizes the curriculum and other learning opportunities to get students to participate in activities that decades of research studies show are linked to student learning” (Center for Postsecondary Research, 2017, para. 1).
In addition to student engagement, creating a social presence in all online learning experiences has shown many learner benefits. Online courses with great levels of social interaction between learner and instructor and among learners point to increased levels of learner motivation, superior learning outcomes, and greater satisfaction (Park & Choi, 2009). Expression of emotion, humor, and self-disclosure between instructor-student or student-student are examples of implementing social presence (Garrison et al., 1999). Additionally, adding multimodal elements to online learning experiences continues to add social presence and therefore student engagement. For example, adding a pedagogical or introductory wrapper to an online course primes and prepares learners cognitively and motivationally before engaging in a learning task (Conceição & Howles, 2020). Other ways to add social presence to your course are casual conversation, discussion forums among students and instructors, and asynchronous feedback to students to apply to their future assignments.
While technology is evolving, users (learners) are not always able to master the ever-changing methods. Even though today’s students are often assumed to be extraordinarily tech-savvy, research suggests that the majority exhibit beginner-level technology skills, even when working with basic productivity tools (Simonson et al., 2015). Therefore, it cannot be assumed that they will easily learn these applications on their own. As a result, student technological support must be accessible during all learning experiences. Whether it is a “Help” button, a “?” button, or a ChatBot that utilizes AI responses to common technological difficulties, empathy is required for learners to have a positive experience.
At this point, you may be asking yourself: how do we prioritize student technological support, engagement, and social presence in online learning in our evolving technological environment? In addition, how do we address these factors with all levels of internet bandwidth? While the United States has sufficient internet bandwidth in most locations, that is not the case for all. For example, students at Makere University in Uganda, Africa, faced consequential internet challenges (from low internet bandwidth) resulting in failure of classes and abandonment of online coursework (NTVUganda, 2022). Research shows us that learning designers can improve quality by taking advantage of the capabilities of information technology and the Internet. In doing so, they considerably broadened what we mean by a "high-quality" learning experience (Twigg, 2001). To accommodate all learners, learning designers must analyze their learners’ needs initially, including internet bandwidth. Without analysis, the learning designer will likely design an online learning experience that would require an unrealistic amount of internet bandwidth. However, it may not be usable for the learner. This is why a learner-centered design approach will form the future of all online learning environments in the future.
There are multiple methods and strategies that learning designers can utilize to provide the highest quality learning experience for all learners. If learners have a limited amount of internet access and bandwidth, perhaps the learning designer can consider the learning management system (LMS) built-in with Microsoft365 which can function while offline (without internet). The Google Suite also has the capability to function offline for documents, calendars, forms, sheets, and other tools. This could include photos, audio, and other low-bandwidth needs for learners to have a memorable and appropriate learning experience. If learners have an unlimited amount of internet access and bandwidth, learning designers can formulate learning materials through an uncountable amount of LMS’s, technological platforms, and online tools. However, narrowing down the most effective tool will be decided by the initial analysis and learning theories to benefit the learners.
Along with narrowing down the uses of technology, learning designers must allow all learners to complete the online learning experiences on as many device sizes as possible. Whether this is a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, or even a television. While the amount of devices and types of technology can be overwhelming, learning designers could utilize this as an integrated learning opportunity. For example, if the online learning experience occurred on all devices (i.e. iPhone, Android, iPad, Apple Watch, Television), the learning experience could expand on their course materials by initiating:
“Pop up” questions and scenarios
Repetitive thematic knowledge
Real-World scenarios to practice behavior in a safe, risk-free environment
Emotional check-ins
During particularly frustrating sections of the course
Morning and evening check-ins for daily mental health
Resource libraries on the topic
Downloadable
Editable (highlight, draw, type, etc).
Ability to save after making edits
Social connections
Notifications of comments on group discussion forums
Slack & social media groups
While this can initiate several notifications and may be persistent to the learner, it would provide them an opportunity to learn by doing, promote social engagement, gain emotional elements, and have a consistent cognitive presence. Kolb and Kolb (2009), “Learning is a holistic process of adaptation. It is not just the result of cognition but involves the integrated functioning of the total person – thinking, feeling, perceiving, and behaving” (p. 43).
Sources:
Ackerman, D. (2020). System brings deep learning to “internet of things” devices [Photograph]. Www.News.mit.edu. https://news.mit.edu/2020/iot-deep-learning-1113
Center for Postsecondary Research (2017). About NSSE. Retrieved on February 18, 2024 from https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41239-017-0063-0#ref-CR31
Conceição, S. C., & Howles, L. L. (2020). Designing the online learning experience: Evidence-based principles and strategies. Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003444121-3
Czerkawski, B. C., & Lyman III, E. W. (2016). An Instructional Design Framework for Fostering Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 60(6), 532-540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0110-z
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (1999). Critical Inquiry in a Text-Based Environment: Computer Conferencing in Higher Education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2), 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6
Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2009). Experiential learning theory: A dynamic, holistic approach to management learning, education and development. In S. Armstrong & C. V. Fukami (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of management learning, education and development (pp. 42-68). Sage.
[NTVUganda]. (2022, February 9). Why are Makerere University students up in arms over online education [Video]. YouTube. Why are Makerere University students up in arms over online education
Park, J.-H., & Choi, H. J. (2009). Factors influencing adult learners’ decision to drop out or persist in online learning. Educational Technology & Society, 12 (4), 207– 217.
Nworie, J. (2022). The Increasing Quest for Instructional Designers and Technologists in Higher Education and Corporate Settings. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(1), ep345. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11481
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. M. (Eds.). (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education, 6th edition. Information Age Publishing, Incorporated.
Twigg, C. A. (2001). Innovations in Online Learning: Moving beyond No Significant Difference. The Pew Symposia in Learning and Technology. http://www.center.rpi.edu/PewSym/Mono4.pdf
