E-learning literacy

Draft

Introduction

E-learning programs often fail in one way or another to meet expectations. One of the reasons could be the lack of what we could call e-learning literacy. Another reason, is the e-learning is often seen as opportunity for changing learning goals, for example put more emphasis on "deep learning", which asks more from learners.

E-learning literacy comprises several literacies, for example:

• Digital literacy (or literacies), e.g. computer literacy and related literacies
• Information literacy
• Metacognitive literacy, defined as metacognitive skills, in particular appropriate learning strategies and Self-regulation skills

When students become responsible for designing their individual learning processes, e-learning literacy has to be considered an umbrella term, as it requires the capability to identify and organize information by means of information and communication technologies for learning purposes (cf. Di Sessa, 2001). As such, it comprises information and digital media literacy. Information and communication technologies are assumed to support learners of different types and teachers hereby (Tham & Werner, 2005). Learning literacy, and to be educated about learning (cf. Souto-Manning & Swick, 2006), are deceptively simple phrases as they imply an established and manageable set of (meta-cognitive) skills. If such skills are acquired it would make one knowledgeable about learning and guiding learning processes. [[..]] When the focus is on e-learning, additional skills are needed to operate instruments or tools. This skill set includes creating, finding, selecting, filtering, marking, managing, and transferring information for online reading, documenting, and communicating with peers online, along with those skills needed to navigate network spaces.

(Stary and Weichhart, 2012:196).

Summarized the authors suggest that:

• People who are responsible for their own learning do need ICT, media and learning literacy.
• E-learning requires extra skills such as online information and communication skills.

Components

Main components

• Digital literacy, that can be further decomposed into computer literacy (ICT literacy), network literacy, social media literacy and information literacy: Use a computer and the Internet
• Information literacy: Find, sort and use information
• Metacognitive literacy, in particular Self-directed learning: Set goals, plan and implement learning activities, time management
• Communication and collaboration literacy: working in groups, asking help from tutors, contribute to a larger community, etc.
• Extra skills related to specific e-learning procedures: Use an e-learning environment, understand how to interact, etc.

By e-learning course component

E-learning skills also can be tied to various course components, e.g.

• Using courseware
• Engaging in learning activities (tasks)
• Communication between learners and learners and learners and tutors (in particular "non-scripted one")
• Understanding course-level outcomes
• Understanding expectations (in particular, deliverables, i.e. evaluated student productions)
• Finding and using extra contents
• Time management (in particular, deliverables)
• Dealing with student assessment and course evaluation

Variants of e-learning

According to the e-learning type, literacy requirements are different, e.g. Jara and Fitri (2007) identify the following types and subtypes:

• Blended:
  • B1: Online admin support: Core teaching is face to face, organization + materials put online
  • B2: Follow-up: Core activities are face-to-face, but additional online activities are provided
  • B3: Parallel, Some activities face-to-face, others online
  • B4: Face-to-face events: Core activities are online, but some are face-to-face.
• Distance:
  • D1: Distance online support: print-based courseware + online tutoring
  • D2: Online resource based: online activities organised around resources
  • D3: Online discussion based: online activities organised around discussions
  • D4: MOOCS (our addition, a variant of D1): Videos + peer-tutored activities

We hypothesize that the B4 and D1, D4 variants require higher self-direction skills. B2/3 and D2/3 require higher communication and social media skills.

Strategies to ease the e-learning literacy burden

There exist many strategies to ease the burden, i.e. the various literacy requirements. For example:

• Organize an e-learning class like a traditional class. An example are MOOCs that use regular schedules, video lectures, light-weight assignments, etc. However, this strategy does have its drawbacks, i.e. it keeps the typical learner passive.

• Include contents (courseware) that is didactically structured.

• Use pedagogical scenarios that include strong "scripting" (sequencing of learning activities)

• Negotiate a learning contract, e.g. use strategies like intelligibility catchers.

• Tutoring (including coaching, counseling, feedback, help, etc.)

• Encourage creation of an online community and improve feeling of social presence. Alternatively or also encourage students to create their own.

• Reduce initial anxiety and inhibitions, e.g. though some "icebreaking activity".

• Pay attention to the ergonomics of the environment

• Add elements that increase motivation and self-efficacy

• Support communication and "modeling" with/from other students.

• Integrate emotional factors

• ...

However, decreasing cognitive load of tasks is not always appropriate, since increasing e-learning skills (and more generally digital literacy my be a course-level outcome. Higher-level learning requires a construction effort from the learner, a process that can be enhanced through various types of cooperative, collaborative and collective learning activities. There may be a contraction between "easing" the task and learning goals in higher education. “Bereiter and Scardamalia (2003) point out that if we want students to acquire the skills needed to function in knowledge-based, innovation-driven organizations, we should place them in an environment where those skills are required in order for them to be part of what is going on.” (cited by )

Klein et al. (1998:2) define the interesting concept of cognitive demands analysis': “Whereas cognitive task analysis attempts to identify the cognitive skills an individual uses or needs to perform a task proficiently (Klein, 1995; Means & Gott, 1988; Roth & Mumaw, 1995), a cognitive demands analysis seeks to describe the types of cognitive learning expected of the individual by the technology”. This does not just include contents but also the “types of activities and instructional opportunities in which students are expected to engage”. The authors identify five families of cognitive learning: content understanding, collaboration, communication, problem solving, and metacognition.

Can creating appropriate e-learning courses be taught to non-specialists ?

University professors

....

Training of other professionals

Sutton et al. (2005). organized an introduction to creating e-learning modules for librarians, called e-FOLIO. They report that (a) an e-learning course where participants learn from ‘reflection on doing’ seems to contribute to a higher completion rate. and (b) course developers should consider the extra resilience of small groups over pairs.

Digital literacy statements and assessment tools

E-learning literacy statements

[... to be found ...]

Some institutions make digital literacy statements in an educational context (which does not cover the same semantic field). For example:

• Professionalism in the Digital Environment (PriDE) (a JISC project)

• “A digitally literate person in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science is critically and ethically aware, confident in engaging in a wide array of digital practices, resources/tools and academic and professional environments, and establishing coherent identities.” example definition from Professionalism in the Digital Environment (PriDE)

Example instruments (online)

A quick examination of online materials (below) shows that US and UK online institutions offer on their site a combination of checklists and online quizzes that allow interested persons to evaluate whether they should consider taking an online program or class.

• Is online learning for me? : Quiz on WashingtonOnline

• Are Online Courses for You?: iSeek education quiz (Minnesota)

• Minnesota State colleges & Universities quiz: Is Online Learning Right for Me? (checklits) and online education quiz. See also Is online learning right for you? (checklist)

• Kennebec VAlley Community College: Is Distance Education Right For Me Quiz

• Old Dominion university: Is Online Learning For Me?

• Grand Rapids Community College: Is Online Learning Right for Me? (checklist) and Interactive Self-Assessment for Online Learning pointing to Is distance learning right for me ? (Quiz, by Michigan colleges online). See also time management and Technology requirements

• University of Exeter: iTest (Quiz)

• Digital Literacies Toolkit ( University of Southampton ). Includes specific e-learning literacy tests.

Links

General

• e-Learning and 21st century skills and competences, June 24, 2009 by Tony Bates .

• Preparing Students for Elearning, Blog post, elearnspace, 2002.

Example pages addressing students

• eLearning Services, Prince George's Community College

Example pages addressing teachers

• What Technology and Skills Are Required for Blended Learning? (e-learning Ontario).

Bibliography

Other

• Badrul H. Khan and Mohamed Ally, International Handbook of E-Learning Volume 1: Theoretical Perspectives and Research, Routledge International, ar 24, 2015

• Belshaw, Doug (2011). What is 'digital literacy'? Ed.D thesis, Department of Education at

Durham University Word, PDF

• Oliver, Ron, and Jan Herrington. Teaching and learning online: A beginner's guide to e-learning and e-teaching in higher education. Edith Cowan University. Centre for Research in Information Technology and Communications, 2001.

• Piskurich, G. M. (Ed.). (2004). Preparing learners for e-learning. John Wiley & Sons.