The nature of on-line learning and teaching

 

Welcome

In the past four or so years since I returned my focus to the subject of technology-based teaching I have been invited to many meetings to help make some sort of sense of this new phenomenon. Based upon what training buyers and HR managers have seen offered in the market it has been difficult to define just what is meant by on-line or technology-based learning and teaching. And to grasp what is genuinely possible. Unfortunately, much of what is passed off as "on-line" or technology-based teaching has little or no resemblence to anything akin to teaching or the facilitation of learning.

Without a legitimate framework for the nature of this phenomenon buyers and users will continute to have little success when making decisions. The following is my best attempt to share with you the information I share with my colleagues and clients. It is by no means complete, but I do believe it may help how you think about technology, teaching and learning. If I, or my team, can be of any assistance please feel free to write. The first aid kit on the mantle links to an enquiry page.

Go well, Stef

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Introduction

Technology is here to stay and now is the time to start finding ways to utilise the new communication tools it provides. Technology, and what we know about adult learning, is now sophisticated enough to be combined to create meaningful learning events for people.

But how do you distinguish between what's good, what's bad and what's downright appalling?

Many people today will have a horror story, or two, about budget blowout on technology-based products. Most people also are working within a limited budget and want to get the biggest bang for their buck. No wonder there is an air of nervousness. The two are clearly at odds.

Never before has life-long learning been such a crucial element of success for both individuals and organisations. It is clear that both human and physical resources are at a premium. On-line learning provides an excellent avenue for exposing a greater number of the community to learning. Let's face it, learning can be uplifting and challenging. It has the potential to permeate our lives and make a huge impact. Why would we want to limit this experience to a selected few?

It's no use putting our heads in the sand because technology is not going away. Technology should be embraced, pushed to its limits enabling us to exploit the possibilities and use it to our best advantage.

Technology-based learning can deliver, if you have some basic data from which to make informed decisions. A new way to facilitate the process of learning has arrived.

 

 
Concepts need to be driven by thinking about the learner

 
At sb.com our approach to technology-based teaching started by drawing on the volume of data and experience related to the subjects of teaching, learning and motivation. We distinguished early on what needed inventing and what did not. What was needed was the design of new teaching methods to take advantage of new tools to do a very old thing .. namely to teach. We remind ourselves each day that we are teachers and we have responsibilities to our students.

We start by creating an environment that is suitable for learning. A place that is comfortable and perhaps familiar to people. Within that virtual environment we build learning events designed to hold the learner's attention because without the ability to hold a learner's attention there will be little learning effect.

Teaching is about ..

creating intrigue

creating an emotional state that will
help facilitate learning

compelling storytelling

In the following sections of this article I will talk frankly about learning, teaching and technology. If I do well I might go some measure toward demystifying and dymythifying technology-based learning and provide a solid base from which to critique products. There are plenty of sales persons out there, often with no background in learning, willing to sell at any cost. It is in your best interest to be enlightened about the pitfalls and what constitutes good and even great technology-based learning.

You will also learn to identify which "learner behaviour" is required for you to succeed using this method of teaching in this method of learning.

We will then take a look at implementation issues in organisations.

Let's start with a small, but useful set of distinctions to help you understand what you are seeing.

 
Information, Training & Learning

There is a
difference

 
Information delivery approach to on-line learning

Many products available in the market are PowerPoint presentations with refined navigation masquerading as on-line learning. Although marketed as learning products they are in fact nothing more than the delivery of information which is static. Education and learning are dynamic processes.

At the same time that this is the most common form of technology-based learning product being designed and sold today, it is also the worst possible use of technology to facilitate learning. The human being on the end of the screen just does not work in the context of learning in this way.

A feature of this approach is the "bite sized chunk" in which dot points are displayed. There is a misconception that these chunks facilitate learning and that adults are unable to cope with lengthier texts. These chunks are then delivered in a style of presentation that ensures they will be forgettable. These chunks, however, have no theoretical or practical depth or distinction thus rendering them of little value even if learned.

If a product is "set and forget" then it is more than likely simply a form of information delivery and not what should be considered a learning product.

Another feature that is often touted as the major selling point in on-line learning circles is the self-paced nature of the product. Anytime, anywhere is the catch call. Often learner behaviour when presented with a self-paced product is to replicate what many do with a television remote control when not sure what to watch on the box. A version of channel-surfing or channel-chopping happens. The mouse is clicked randomly over the hyperlinks and when little of interest is found the user quickly moves on. This is not conducive to retention of content.

There are four damaging results of technology-based courses designed in this way:

1) abandonment of courses is higher than completion;

2) therefore learning does not occur;

3) they develop false negative perceptions and beliefs about the possibility of teaching via technology; and,

4) they waste what resources organisations have available for learning initiatives.

The training approach to on-line learning

The next kind of product emerging in technology-based learning falls under the banner of training. This approach is used for the teaching of skills by several suppliers. For instance, training in the use of computer applications is believed to lend itself well to this approach.

So what is the fundamental difference from an information approach? It is the presence of an on-line facilitator who communicates regularly with participants and drip feeds the participants with the components of the program. The participant can still access the training at a time that suits them as communication is delivered via email but they can't race ahead. This type of approach has the ability to ingrain the behaviours that will be required for on-going success once the on-line facilitator is removed from the equation.

For example let's assume your goal is to learn how to maximise the use of the Internet. This training program might be split into five components and delivered over a three week period. The advantage of this approach is that the learner will receive lessons that will be able to be undertaken at their own time with minimal disruption to daily routines. AND it has them entering and leaving the application a minimum of five times. By the close of the course the behaviour that allows them to move comfortably in and out of the Internet will have been installed as a byproduct of participation.

Writing for this type of delivery requires the instructional designer to rethink how they communicate. "Organisation speak" and dry lists just do not cut it. The regular emails need to adopt a conversational tone that engages and encourages the learner to continue the learning experience.

Learning

Which leads to us to think about learning. If you take the on-line facilitator approach as mentioned in the previous section and combine it with a metaphor to create a virtual world in which the learning is to take place, adopt an open and easy narrative to communicate with participants .. you can facilitate a rich learning experience for adults.

It is especially powerful if the learning is then supported with the use of student journals for reflection, peer learning and the creation of community.

On-line courses using technology tools in this way can and do absolutley facilitate learning.

Basically these designs pull out all the stops to engage a learner's heart, soul and mind. It is time to polish up on all those influencing and process skills you possess if you are about to embark on developing a true on-line learning course.

People will read lengthy texts if you make it worth their while. Think about all those late nights that you have spent with a book you just could not put down knowing full well you were going to be dog tired the next day.

Think also about the sticking power of the "Little Boy Who Cried Wolf" story. How old were you when you first heard this story? Four, five? Would you remember it if your mother, father, grandmother had merely said, "False alarms are annoying and people will stop believing you, possibly with dire consequences"?

It has been proven that learners WILL stick with an on-line program if it is facilitated, even if that facilitation is done by a cleverly scripted character. Adults WILL read more than 3 dot points if the prose is compelling and they WILL use the scroll bar.

Self-directed, set and forget on-line learning products are notorious for incompletion by learners. Facilitated products enjoy outstanding results. Regular facilitation and student journals provide the support and social contact that participants miss so much in a self-paced product.

 
Setting aside time

Many people will say they don't have enough time to do the things they already have to do without the added pressure of including on-line learning into the plethora of daily activities.

It is important that learners consider participation in the program as part of their regular daily routine for the duration of the program. This means they will need to allocate the required time each day that a lesson is delivered via the email.

There can be a lot of interruptions in one's day and the onus is on the learner to manage these. The ways of dealing with interference are limited only by the imagination and ingeniousness of the learner. Which means there are countless ways to combat this as we all know how creative people can be. On-line learning is a good time to pull out all the stops.

Some people wear headphones to discourage passerby chatting. Others have been known to hang a self-crafted "L" plate, like one uses when learning to drive a car, over the back of their chair to indicate they are undertaking on-line learning. What's the special "sign" you could give to others? Now be nice.

It has been proven that the best time to undertake on-line learning is first thing in the morning BEFORE the rest of the day has an opportunity to permeate. Get in, get out and get on with it.

If first up doesn't suit, then learners need to commit to a time, and stick to it. Make an appointment. Most people wouldn't dream of blowing off an appointment with someone else without a good reason. Learners need to put themselves first, look after their needs and make that appointment with themselves and their lessons and protect the time furiously.

 
Reading

It is likely that reading will be the dominant method of communication in an on-line learning program and it will be required at a relatively high volume. It is for this reason that reading will often get a big mention by learners undertaking on-line learning.

It is true, learners will be required to READ each lesson. A lot of people have learnt to SCAN or SKIM content and now confuse this with reading. But reading for comprehension and learning is very different.

In order to learn and retain information in an on-line learning environment, the learner will need to take the time out to read thoroughly. This will, more than likely, require an adjustment to most people's reading behaviour.

Remember the words are there to "fatten" and to add "story" and "personality". This is essential if there is to be any hope of later recall. Adults need triggers for their brains to retrieve memory. A list of dot points is boring, doesn't mean much and very forgettable.

The best advise to be given to comments around reading are "stick with it". If needed there is always the option to print the lessons out, grab a coffee, tea, water and go to a quiet place to read them.

 
Tension

Self directed on-line learning is regularly abandoned even if the course is deemed to be important. Though in a classroom, learners may be bored out of their heads, but will remain in the space.

Why is it that people are more willing to stick with face-to-face training?

It is because there is more TENSION to stay. There are social norms by which people abide. It could be considered rude to walk out midway through a lecture. People don't want to be noticed skulking out of a room. They don't want to have to answer if bailed up, which could easily happen if the trainer chose to do so.

This tension does not exist in self-paced on-line learning programs. Who will notice if I don't show up? No-one.

Sure you can add "tension" through testing but this relies heavily on compliance and fear and is not conducive to adult learning.

No, good tension is about letting the learner know that you are there and sharing the responsibility to maintain participation. This is particularly evidenced by the use of daily emails and student journals.

The use of regular email contact can be used to gently, or bluntly, prompt learners about the requirement for allocating time and reading. The learner will also notice the emails and be reminded they are enrolled in a learning program. The learner might love, or hate the fact that another email is sitting on their email in-box but if it compels them to participate then tension is being applied successfully.

Student journals work in a similar way. Learners see others making quality contributions and are influenced to follow suit. This is good tension. It is not about big stick, retribution. It is respectful and nurturing communication that treats adults as adults and doesn't insult their intelligence.

There needs to be understanding from both the design aspect and the learner that there are challenges which are specific to on-line learning. It is important to focus on the fact that these hazards are not insurmountable and that adjustment of behaviour from both sides of the equation can make on-line learning a memorable and fulfilling experience.

It is easy to criticise, and many will. It is important to listen carefully to someone blowing off steam. Remove the emotion and unpack the issue. Is it a design fault? Or, is that person unable to acknowledge their contribution to a failure? Often people will denounce an external factor rather than look within.

  
Benefits of on-line delivery

 
It is clear that learning and development programs delivered via technology, if unmanaged, can be fraught with problems. In some quarters these types of programs have failed significantly to live up to their promises of affordable, accessible, on the job, flexible and quality learning. The result is an expensive 'classroom' where quality learning is not afforded.

So let's take an informed look at the benefits of on-line delivery that isn't a list of meaningless platitudes. The following is a good base from which to evaluate whether you believe you are getting a good deal with an on-line learning product. Because there are many benefits that can be associated with on-line learning. The market has been in its infancy but it's time to move into the next phase.

Affordable

First cab off the rank is affordable.

More than likely the per participant cost will be reduced for on-line learning programs when compared to comparable classroom delivered offerings.

But buyer beware

Purchasing "seats" under a licensing arrangement can be an expensive option. The cost may seem attractive at first glance. This type of arrangement calls for an organisation to buy a specified number of places on a course for a predetermined price. The per participant cost reduces as more seats are purchased. If, however, only limited numbers, or even no-one, takes up the option to engage in the course, the organisation has paid a premium price.

It is a lot like some gym memberships. Most people know someone who has joined up for 12 months at a gym and failed to continue or take full advantage of the availability of the services. It is the same principle at work. Good for the seller of a service, not so good for the purchaser.

If organisations choose to buy into a licensing arrangement for on-line learning it is essential that constant monitoring, evaluation and promotional activities take place to ensure optimisation of the up-front investment.

All of our courses are available on a per participant price basis as one would expect for a classroom event. By its very nature the per participant cost for on-line learning is reduced. There are reduced trainer, venue, catering and resource costs and these savings can be passed on to the consumer. There are still however, design, development, on-line facilitation and hosting costs to name a few which still need to be recouped. And one would expect to pay a reasonable fee for a quality service.

The trend to provide on-line learning via licensing agreements has largely excluded individuals from accessing training through this medium unless they were employed by an organisation with a learning and development agenda. The introduction of per participant cost and the availability of offerings through publicly advertised programs will allow more people from the general community to participate in on-line learning. Remember the reference to life-long learning earlier in this piece? This notion is not limited to those people who are employed in large organisations but the community in general. First cab off the rank is affordable.

Accessible

On-line learning is very accessible. Generally, email and Internet access is all that is required. There is no need to leave one's home to locate, enrol and participate. There is no need to brave the elements of weather or traffic.

Even if you don't have the necessary hardware to log in from home, or the office, there are other options. Increasingly governments are realising that access to technology is essential in today's world and are making computers and Internet available free to communities through local hubs.

Then, there are Internet cafés popping up all over to enable easy access to Internet and learning opportunities. There are very few excuses that would wash in terms of accessibility. If someone wants to participate enough a way can be found.

On-the-job

The next category in the list is on-the-job. This might also be referred to as not-in-the-classroom to encompass those learners who aren't necessarily participating as part of their job.

On-line learning represents less interruption to daily routines, once time management is harnessed effectively. There is no need to leave that overflowing in-tray, or washing basket, for hours at a time. Traditionally classroom based training requires the learner to be out of their regular environment for lengthy periods of time. This can be highly intrusive and often learners will harbour concerns about falling behind in their every day schedule.

There will be the need for learners to adjust their behaviours to succeed in the new way of training delivery as mentioned previously but generally the daily commitment is not time intensive and can be easily incorporated with minimal disruption.

Flexible

Flexibility is a major selling point for on-line learning. Remember though there is a difference between flexible and self-paced. Self-paced is generally so flexible that people don't actually do the work that is required.

Email facilitation of programs provides tension but also allows the flexibility to participate at a time that suits. This delivery method is regular, yet asynchronous, and does not tie participants down to a definitive time to engage. This is especially evident in our public programs subscribed to by participants who reside in all corners of the world. As there is the flexibility in terms of duration, time zones do not have an adverse effect on participation rates and learning outcomes of individuals.

Quality

The length of an on-line learning program will often equate with the classroom delivered program in terms of time, but differ in terms of delivery. The primary difference is that an on-line learning program content is "drip fed" over a period of time. Research has proven that adult learners actually learn and retain information more effectively if it is delivered in smaller chunks at regular intervals... so learning on-line is a great option in adult learning terms.

The reference to smaller chunks does NOT refer to dot points. What I have said about the depth of writing stands. This is about getting really clear on what data belongs together and how it then gets delivered, in what timeframe, to achieve an optimal outcome.

The delivery of information and knowledge over a period of time will also avoid information overload. There is time for learners to practice, reflect, evaluate and instill new knowledge and skills.

 

On-line Learning in Organisations

The way of work is certainly changing. It appears that a nine to five job for life, is indeed an increasingly rare species. How work is done is becoming more diverse and dispersed. On-line learning will play a significant role in enabling virtual groups to connect and learn together as and when they need.

But… Warning Will Robinson, if you are responsible for making this all live in an organisation, great product and naïve optimism alone won't be enough. The implementation of on-line learning is a major cultural change initiative and needs to be approached in this way. Just because it has been built doesn't mean they will come.

Take full advantage of your early adopters. They will come in all shapes and sizes and won't necessarily be sitting in the upper levels of the hierarchy. Power to the people, hey! Create a groundswell. It's hard to ignore.

The story of Tom Sawyer painting the fence is a great example. There he was painting his fence, having a merry old time whenever anyone passed by. They got interested and picked up a paintbrush. Before you know it the fence was painted and everyone felt very satisfied with the fruits of their labour. If your fence is on-line learning, then your job is to draw in early adopters and provide ways to have painted fences popping up all over the place.

A good place to start is with those people who have actively participated in and supported traditional classroom-based training in the past. Leverage off what you already know and do well. Do you have a couple of "hot" groups who have recently graduated from a face-to-face learning event? Why not invite them to participate in an on-line learning pilot?

But what happens if you don't have an easily identifiable early adopter group? Get creative in how you create warm up and engagement. Get traditional. Form a group and meet with them. Talk through the implications of participating in on-line learning. It is in your best interest to provide a very clear picture of what it means to learn in this way. Your goal is to fully inform your audience. You need them to succeed. They drop out, they start to "white ant" and grand plans start to crumble. Not everyone is going to "just get it". Combine on-line learning events with face-to-face events. You name it, information sessions, debrief sessions, experiential sessions. They all have a place in supporting on-line learning.

This is major cultural change. Be prepared to put in the extra effort. Set and forget is not going to reap the rewards of a well planned and multi-channel approach. Be prepared to direct resources in this manner for a substantial period of time. An intuitive hunch of mine suggests two years if you are working in a large diverse organisation. On-line learning will be a key communication carrier and it is worth investing time, energy and resources.

Tip 1 - Trial product

It is advisable that any on-line learning product you plan to offer staff is trialed BEFORE it is made available. This trial has a dual purpose. It is essential that the product be experienced from a learner perspective and evaluated for learning structure and process. It is also crucial that content critiqued for organizational and audience relevance. Trial outcomes will inform the design of product promotion, learner orientation activities and support processes.

Tip 2 - Small Test Groups

So you have a product that has passed trial with flying colours. It might seem attractive to enroll vast numbers of students to get brownie points and demonstrate the success of your on-line learning project. If this is true for you, take a step back and critically analyse if this approach will indeed achieve your outcomes. If your outcome is to deliver quality learning experiences to students over completion numbers, it is worthwhile considering a small test group. This will allow you to monitor and evaluate your learners' responses. What's the hurry? It's not like you had this delivery option available before so nobody is actually missing it (yet).

Tip 3 - Target your audiences

In the start up phases of an on-line learning implementation, it is especially important to target your audiences. Get clear on your learning outcomes and expectations and the relevance of your product.

On-line learning has the capacity to facilitate networking that would not ordinarily have occurred naturally. This was particularly obvious when the Leadership Labyrinth was piloted in a large public sector organisation. Participants hailed from all corners of the organisation, from field and depot workers, who paint the white lines on our roads, to administrative white-collar employees, through to the high level senior executives. The students in this particular group captured my attention as they interacted with each other in the journal and obviously enjoyed being in the same space, albeit virtual. The on-line learning environment is a great leveler when it comes to hierarchical systems. Participants are equally heard, irrespective of their rank and serial number.

Consistency of learning material to students has to be a bonus also. No longer is the content, structure and energy of a course at the mercy of a trainer on a particular day. If your learners have participated in an on-line induction program for instance, then you know exactly what has been passed on to them and how well prepared they are for organisational life. The delivery of the course has not been compromised by illness, relationship breakups or any other external factor that has the ability to affect us humans and bring on an ordinary day in the training room.

Additional benefits were mentioned in the previous section and these too can be utilisted to influence decision makers. A good point to make here is that on-line learning is not an appropriate initiative if you are looking purely at cost cutting.

This really is new territory and there are bound to be some high highs and some low lows and there will, without a doubt, be resistance. But what change initiative doesn't experience resistance? It is worth the effort.

The notion of allowing learners to opt in and out of content is astonishing. Some on-line products make this ludicrous claim. I challenge any trainer who works with groups face-to-face to allow the group to dictate fundamentally what they will and won't do. Imagine standing in front of a group which has signed up for a course and asking for a show of hands for those participants who already know the content that will be presented in the course. Upon seeing a sea of hands appear, you then announce the group already appears to have great knowledge and therefore won't be required for the entire period signed up for and will, in fact, be completed significantly earlier. It ain't gonna happen. Participants do have prior knowledge and it is the role of the trainer to work with this assumption and maximise the prior knowledge within the course design. On-line learning is the same. Students often don't know what they don't know so are unable to make an accurate call on what they need to learn.

The principles of good on-line learning do not differ greatly from good classroom design. However, the ability to train in the classroom may not directly translate into the ability to design quality on-line learning products.

If I can help you think about this phenomenon more richly please don't hesitate to write.

Go well in new ventures.