Content and Interpersonal Interaction
There are really two ways in which students interact in online courses- they interact with the content of the course and they interact with each other and the instructor. Taking time to consider both is an important part of the process of designing an effective online course.
Content Interaction
Content interaction can be loosely described as how students interact with the non-human elements of the course. That may include the text, multimedia, web links, and interface of the course, along with more abstract components such as the way the course is structured. Students must feel comfortable with the structure of a course- how the navigation is built, the sequence of lessons presented, the technology used, etc. Often, what flows logically to one person can come across as confusing to another. This can easily happen when a person is designing an online course and is intimately familiar with the content. Instructors can make assumptions and inferences in the design of an online course and not realize the confusion until the course actually begins. In face-to-face classes, any confusion can be observed and corrected immediately, whereas in an online course this could potentially involve trying to quickly restructure the entire navigation scheme of the course. Whenever possible, it is strongly recommended that you find at least a couple of students to do a test run-through of your online course, checking for ease of usability. This can save much time and stress by determining problem areas before the course actually begins.
Another important point to be aware of is that technology, if not used correctly, can actually distract from the learning process. In his chapter Research on Web-Based Learning: A Half-Full Glass, Richard Clark makes a compelling argument that 1) new media and highly visual presentations do not in and of themselves enhance learning; 2) providing high levels of learner control over course content does not automatically increase learning and motivation; and 3) designing instruction to address different learning styles does not increase learning (Clark, 2003). According to Clark, the research on these methods is mixed at best, and generally indicates that online instructors should focus on instructional methods instead of on the technology used to deliver the instruction.
Clark cites research that indicates that the over-use of new media and visuals in a course can actually sometimes distract from the learning process by overloading memory (p. 8). Additionally, providing students with significant control over content only works well for a small percentage of students who enter the course with pre-existing high abilities and prior knowledge (p. 10). Many instructors also presume that because a student has a particular learning style, he or she will learn better if content is presented in that particular style. However, Clark cautions that this may not be the case- the research is at best divided on the issue (p. 12). Again, the emphasis should be on examining the research to determine what methods are really effective, and adapt technology to effective instructional methods, rather than trying to adapt instruction to the new media.
I have had personal experience designing an online undergraduate course that had a large number of media and interactive components. On their final evaluations of the class, the majority of the students indicated that the media elements were "essential" to the online course. However, another version of the course was offered that had some media components, but limited in number. The makeup of the student audience was similar to that of the media-heavy class. The students rated the course with limited media just as highly and considered it to be just as effective as the media-heavy class was considered to be by its students. This seems to indicate a distinction between learner styles and learner preferences. A visual learner may indicate a preference for learning with video and graphical elements, but this preference is not necessarily indicative of improved performance. The student might like the media intensive course better, but would likely perform the same in either version of the course, provided the instructional methods are sound.
Interpersonal Interaction
Interpersonal interaction examines how students interact with each other and with the instructor. Interpersonal interaction can take the form of discussion boards, chat rooms, emails,, group activities, instant messages, and even phone calls. The key to successful interpersonal communication is creating a sense of community—creating an environment where students feel invested in the communication and have the sense that their comments matter. McMillan and Chavis' theories of community are among the most influential, and they proposed four necessary elements for creating community:
- Membership
- Influence
- Needs fulfillment
- Shared emotional connection
When designing the communication aspects of an online course, try to create activities that promote these for elements. For example, design an introductory "ice breaker" discussion board to allow students to introduce themselves, and create another "watercooler" board where students can talk with each other about issues unrelated to class. These activities can help build an emotional connection.
Discussions, chats and weblogs can be designed so that students are asked to present their opinions on issues (backed up by content and facts, of course), rather than just reciting an answer to a factual question. For example, rather than asking students to list the causes of the Revolutionary War, ask them what they think the most significant cause was, and why. This can reinforce to students that their opinions matter, thereby increasing students' sense of influence in the course.
Needs fulfillment can be addressed by allowing students to tailer some assignments toward their own personal interests. For example, if a paper has been assigned, allow students some choice in topic so that they can pick subjects that both relate to the specific course and also fit in with larger career or research interests. Rewarding students for participation can also increase needs fulfillment, because the students desire the rewards.
Finally, collaborative work in teams and groups can encourage strong feelings of membership. Students are not only a part of the larger course, but are also members of small groups where they are relied on for producing particular parts of an assignment. An additional benefit of group work is that students generally become more motivated to work harder and procrastinate less on assignments because other students would be reading, and depending on, their work (Clark, p. 4). Notice that all of the examples listed above are not dependent on technology—discussions, chats and group work can all take place just as easily in face-to-face environments. This again reinforces the importance of focusing on instructional methods first and foremost, and using technology as the means to accomplish the instructional goals online.
Clark, R. (2003) Research on Web-Based Learning: A Half-full Glass, a chapter published in Bruning, R. Horn, C. and PytlikZillig, L. Web-Based Learning: What do we know? Where do we go? Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers.
McMillan, D.W., & Chavis, D.M. (1986). "Sense of community: A definition and theory." American Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), pp. 6-23.