DOCSLIB.ORG

The Online Instructional Dynamic: a Study of Community College Faculty Teaching Online Courses and Their Perceptions of Barriers to Student Success

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Online Instructional Dynamic: a Study of Community College Faculty Teaching Online Courses and Their Perceptions of Barriers to Student Success The Online Instructional Dynamic: A Study of Community College Faculty Teaching Online Courses and Their Perceptions of Barriers to Student Success A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty Of Drexel University by Jory Andrew Hadsell in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education December 2012 © Copyright 2012 Jory Andrew Hadsell. All Rights Reserved. Abstract The Online Instructional Dynamic: A Study of Community College Faculty Teaching Online Courses and Their Perceptions of Barriers to Student Success Jory Andrew Hadsell, Ed.D. Drexel University, December 2012 Chairperson: W. Edward Bureau, Ph.D. Online students at some California community colleges are experiencing lower success rates than their peers in face-to-face versions of the same courses. Insight into the forces shaping student success in online courses is needed to address such disparities. The purpose of this study was to explore, in-depth, the lived experiences of faculty teaching courses online at a California community college to inform instructional practice so barriers to student success may be avoided. This online instructional dynamic is defined as the experiences surrounding instructor-student interaction, including factors impacted by the use of various technologies and instructional design approaches. The following questions guided the study: 1) How do faculty perceive their interactions with students in an online course? 2) What instructional practices do faculty believe have a positive impact on student success in their courses? 3) Why do faculty members believe the identified instructional practices have positive impacts on student success? A phenomenological research design was employed. Participants consisted of eight community college faculty with significant teaching experience in online Math, English, or Business courses. Data were gathered via in-depth interviews, observation, iv and artifact analysis. A computerized qualitative analysis software program was used to code and analyze the data for emergent themes. The study included five major findings: a) Challenges teaching in an online environment, b) Communication issues, c) Potential hindering factors for online students, d) Overall perceptions of the online instructional dynamic, and e) Practices that promote engagement and success. Results of the study included: a) The online teaching model presents unique challenges for faculty, b) Communication challenges may hamper online effectiveness, c) Student population differences may make comparisons difficult between face-to-face and online, and d) Online teaching is both frustrating and enriching for faculty. The study conclusions were: a) Challenges adapting technique and content to the online environment, b) Dominant communication strategies may lead to frustration, c) Student perceptions and attitudes may hinder success, d) Teaching online is both frustrating and rewarding, and e) Six identified practices faculty believe have positive impacts on student success. Recommendations for institutional leaders and further research are provided. v Dedication To my family, without whom this would not have been possible. To Michelle: Your support and love knows no bounds. Every day you amaze me. The best is yet to come. To Abbey, Andrew and Ava: Your futures are as bright as your smiles, which have sustained me and still encourage me to reach for the stars. I know someday you will, too. To Rebecca Grace: Someday. vi Acknowledgments The creation of this research project and my travels along the pathway of researching, writing, and analysis have been the product of more than just myself. In fact, it has been a transformative project that has come to pass with the help of so many wonderful and talented people. In particular, I would like to thank my supervising professor, Dr. Ed Bureau, for being the guide on this journey. You were never afraid to let me wander off the path, knowing that I would learn something from it, and being there to help me re-focus when the time came. I will always owe you “the iceberg.” I would also like to thank Dr. Kathy Geller, whose critical eye, reminders of the “recursive process” and good humor helped me form the basis of this study so early on. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Henry Burnett, whose perspective gained from his years of expertise as a leader in technology within California community colleges and the University of California strengthened the research. In addition, I would be remiss if I did not thank Dr. Rhonda Rios Kravitz for the gentle nudges she gave me, encouraging me to pursue doctoral study and her unwavering personal and professional support and encouragement throughout this process. To my partner in crime, fellow technology guru, and a genuine speaker of truths—Melissa Green. You do not know how important your contributions have been, both in content and in spirit. You have reminded me that sometimes it is necessary to be disruptive, just as the sand must irritate the oyster to eventually produce a pearl. Also, to those from my Drexel University doctoral cohort who have been with me every step of the way—we have encouraged one another while also providing the vii occasional push, when necessary. I cannot thank you enough and look forward to our next projects and new opportunities to collaborate. To all of my family and friends who have put up with me as my nights and weekends were spent in solitude, thank you for tolerating me, bringing me nourishment when necessary, and encouraging me to keep going. Your thoughtfulness and support are appreciated. Finally, I wish to thank the participants in this study, who willfully gave their time and their words to this research. It is through your experiences, your stories, and your vulnerabilities that you have given life and depth to this study. You are the true pioneers, and I hope my work brings honor to your voices and the important work you do every day for your students. viii Table of Contents ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xii 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM ......................................................................1 Statement of the Problem to Be Researched ..................................................................3 Purpose and Significance of the Problem ......................................................................3 Research Questions ........................................................................................................9 The Conceptual Framework .........................................................................................10 Definition of Terms......................................................................................................16 Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations ..............................................................19 Summary ......................................................................................................................21 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................22 Introduction ..................................................................................................................22 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................22 Literature Review.........................................................................................................24 Summary ......................................................................................................................40 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.................................................................................42 Introduction ..................................................................................................................42 Site and Population ......................................................................................................43 Research Design and Rationale ...................................................................................47 ix Research Methods ........................................................................................................50 Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................56 4. FINDINGS, RESULTS, AND INTERPRETATIONS ................................................58 Introduction ..................................................................................................................58 Findings........................................................................................................................59 Results and Interpretations ...........................................................................................97 Summary ....................................................................................................................106 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................108 Introduction ................................................................................................................108 Conclusions ................................................................................................................109
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Using Breakout Rooms in Synchronous Online Tutorials Kathy Chandler, the Open University (Associate Lecturer)
    Vol 4 | Issue 3 (2016) | pp. 16-23 Using Breakout Rooms in Synchronous Online Tutorials Kathy Chandler, The Open University (Associate Lecturer) ABSTRACT This paper describes a small-scale, practitioner-led study of the use of breakout rooms for small group work in synchronous online tutorials using the Blackboard Collaborate tool. The project draws on the writer’s own experience of using breakout rooms in online tutorials over a period of 10 months, both as a tutor of two health and social care undergraduate modules and as a student of modules in a different faculty. It also draws on the experience of tutor colleagues. The project identifies three main benefits of using breakout rooms. Firstly, they are a useful tool for facilitating collaborative learning and interaction. Interaction takes on particular significance in online tutorials. In a face-to-face session the tutor can see if a student’s attention has wandered and gauge their response to the session. In contrast, a student can log into an online tutorial room and appear to be fully engaged with a lecture style session, whilst actually doing many other things and learning little. Interaction in an online tutorial also provides students learning at a distance with a rare opportunity for peer-to-peer contact, which can be invaluable in building relationships and confidence. Further benefits are identified in terms of empowering students to contribute to the session plan and content and also giving the tutor a break from presenting. Perceived barriers to breakout room use are identified around technical difficulties, small numbers of students and in terms of student skill and confidence.
    [Show full text]
  • SILC-A SECURED INTERNET CHAT PROTOCOL Anindita Sinha1, Saugata Sinha2 Asst
    ISSN (Print) : 2320 – 3765 ISSN (Online): 2278 – 8875 International Journal of Advanced Research in Electrical, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering Vol. 2, Issue 5, May 2013 SILC-A SECURED INTERNET CHAT PROTOCOL Anindita Sinha1, Saugata Sinha2 Asst. Prof, Dept. of ECE, Siliguri Institute of Technology, Sukna, Siliguri, West Bengal, India 1 Network Engineer, Network Dept, Ericsson Global India Ltd, India2 Abstract:-. The Secure Internet Live Conferencing (SILC) protocol, a new generation chat protocol provides full featured conferencing services, compared to any other chat protocol. Its main interesting point is security which has been described all through the paper. We have studied how encryption and authentication of the messages in the network achieves security. The security has been the primary goal of the SILC protocol and the protocol has been designed from the day one security in mind. In this paper we have studied about different keys which have been used to achieve security in the SILC protocol. The main function of SILC is to achieve SECURITY which is most important in any chat protocol. We also have studied different command for communication in chat protocols. Keywords: SILC protocol, IM, MIME, security I.INTRODUCTION SILC stands for “SECURE INTERNET LIVE CONFERENCING”. SILC is a secure communication platform, looks similar to IRC, first protocol & quickly gained the status of being the most popular chat on the net. The security is important feature in applications & protocols in contemporary network environment. It is not anymore enough to just provide services; they need to be secure services. The SILC protocol is a new generation chat protocol which provides full featured conferencing services; additionally it provides security by encrypting & authenticating the messages in the network.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effects of Synchronous Class Sessions on Students' Academic
    THE EFFECTS OF SYNCHRONOUS CLASS SESSIONS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND LEVELS OF SATISFACTION IN AN ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS COURSE by Andrea Valene LeShea Liberty University A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University October, 2013 THE EFFECTS OF SYNCHRONOUS CLASS SESSIONS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND LEVELS OF SATISFACTION IN AN ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS COURSE by Andrea Valene LeShea A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University. Lynchburg VA October, 2013 APPROVED BY: Donna Joy, Ed.D. Committee Chair Joseph Fontanella, Ed.D. Committee Member Valery Hall, Ed.D.Committee Member Scott B. Watson, Ph.D. Associate Dean, Advanced Programs ABSTRACT The purpose of this quasi-experimental static-group comparison study was to test the theory of transactional distance that relates the inclusion of synchronous class sessions into an online introductory computer course to students’ levels of satisfaction and academic achievement at a post-secondary technical college. This study specifically looked at the effects of adding live, synchronous class sessions into an online learning environment using collaboration software such as Blackboard Collaborate and the impact that this form of live interaction had on students’ overall levels of satisfaction and academic achievement with the course. A quasi-experiment using the post-test only, static-group comparison design was utilized and conducted in an introductory computer class at a local technical college. It was determined that incorporating live, synchronous class sessions into an online course did not increase students’ levels of achievement, nor did it result in improved test scores.
    [Show full text]
  • Lesson Planning I N N O V a T I
    Summer 2021 / Volume 79, Number 9 Digital Bonus Issue / www.ascd.org Tech tips for in-person learning p.8 Accelerate, don’t remediate p.14 Small-group instruction that works p.44 I N N O LESSON V A T I V PLANNING E Professional development for this crucial moment Engage students, no matt er where they’re learning Marzano Resources off ers a variety of professional development opportuniti es that will help you respond to the disrupti on in K–12 educati on and increase academic success for your students. Topics include: • Leadership • I n s t r u c ti o n • School Improvement • Curriculum • School Culture • Cogniti ve Skills • Collaborati on • Vocabulary • Student Agency • Assessment • Social-Emoti onal Learning • Grading & Reporti ng • Staff /Student Engagement • Personalized Learning • Teacher Eff ecti veness Learn More Resources MarzanoResources.com/2021PD Innovative Lesson Planning 8 Planning Technology Integration 38 Lesson Planning with Universal for In-Person Instruction Design for Learning Monica Burns Lee Ann Jung Strategic and resourceful use of technology doesn’t have to Using UDL principles upfront means making fewer adaptations disappear once distance learning does. later—and reaching more students. 14 Instructional Planning After 44 Planning for Fair Group Work a Year of Uncertainty Amir Rasooli and Susan M. Brookhart Craig Simmons Group projects have a bad reputation among students—but During pandemic recovery, schools must be especially educators can change that. intentional about planning and pacing. 50 Socratics, Remixed 20 How Innovative Teachers Can Start Henry Seton Teaching Innovation A lesson design for more focused and engaging student-led discussions.
    [Show full text]
  • Abkürzungs-Liste ABKLEX
    Abkürzungs-Liste ABKLEX (Informatik, Telekommunikation) W. Alex 1. Juli 2021 Karlsruhe Copyright W. Alex, Karlsruhe, 1994 – 2018. Die Liste darf unentgeltlich benutzt und weitergegeben werden. The list may be used or copied free of any charge. Original Point of Distribution: http://www.abklex.de/abklex/ An authorized Czechian version is published on: http://www.sochorek.cz/archiv/slovniky/abklex.htm Author’s Email address: [email protected] 2 Kapitel 1 Abkürzungen Gehen wir von 30 Zeichen aus, aus denen Abkürzungen gebildet werden, und nehmen wir eine größte Länge von 5 Zeichen an, so lassen sich 25.137.930 verschiedene Abkür- zungen bilden (Kombinationen mit Wiederholung und Berücksichtigung der Reihenfol- ge). Es folgt eine Auswahl von rund 16000 Abkürzungen aus den Bereichen Informatik und Telekommunikation. Die Abkürzungen werden hier durchgehend groß geschrieben, Akzente, Bindestriche und dergleichen wurden weggelassen. Einige Abkürzungen sind geschützte Namen; diese sind nicht gekennzeichnet. Die Liste beschreibt nur den Ge- brauch, sie legt nicht eine Definition fest. 100GE 100 GBit/s Ethernet 16CIF 16 times Common Intermediate Format (Picture Format) 16QAM 16-state Quadrature Amplitude Modulation 1GFC 1 Gigabaud Fiber Channel (2, 4, 8, 10, 20GFC) 1GL 1st Generation Language (Maschinencode) 1TBS One True Brace Style (C) 1TR6 (ISDN-Protokoll D-Kanal, national) 247 24/7: 24 hours per day, 7 days per week 2D 2-dimensional 2FA Zwei-Faktor-Authentifizierung 2GL 2nd Generation Language (Assembler) 2L8 Too Late (Slang) 2MS Strukturierte
    [Show full text]
  • Athabasca University Synchronous Web
    ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY SYNCHRONOUS WEB CONFERENCING: TOWARDS A PEDAGOGICAL MODEL FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING BY SZE KIU YEUNG A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN DISTANCE EDUCATION CENTER FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY MAY, 2014 © SZE KIU YEUNG SYNCHRONOUS WEB CONFERENCING Approval Page ii SYNCHRONOUS WEB CONFERENCING Acknowledgements It has never occurred to me that I would take up formal study at the doctoral level. The thought of committing myself to the discipline and rigor of research study seemed, at the time, beyond my grasp. Certainly, in a traditional face-to-face program, the “travel to class” time would have been higher, making the whole endeavor inefficient and less appealing. When Athabasca University (AU) and SIM University (UniSIM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on academic exchanges at the faculty level, I was encouraged by my former Dean to consider studying in AU’s EdD in Distance Education program. At the beginning, three senior UniSIM Professors gave me the confidence to pursue this learning journey: Professor Tsui Kai Chong (Provost), Professor Koh Hian Chye (Assistant Provost, UniSIM College), and Associate Professor Neelam Aggarwal (Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences – retired), and I am sincerely grateful to them for their guidance and support. In addition, I would also like to acknowledge the funding support (S$10,000) provided by UniSIM’s Center for Applied Research, which enabled me to implement the technological solution for this study. When I eventually enrolled on the program, I found the peer-support from my Cohort 2 class-mates, who are scattered around the world in different time-zones between North America, the Middle East, and East Asia, indispensible especially during the time when we were struggling with our research proposals.
    [Show full text]
  • Viewpoints on Web Conferencing in Health Sciences Education (E39) Ruta Valaitis, Noori Akhtar-Danesh, Kevin Eva, Anthony Levinson, Bruce Wainman
    Journal of Medical Internet Research Impact Factor (2018): 4.945 - ranked #1 medical informatics journal by Impact Factor Volume 9 (2007), Issue 5 ISSN: 1438-8871 Editor in Chief: Gunther Eysenbach, MD, MPH Contents Original Papers Feasibility of a Mobile Phone±Based Data Service for Functional Insulin Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients (e36) Alexander Kollmann, Michaela Riedl, Peter Kastner, Guenter Schreier, Bernhard Ludvik. 2 Mobile Web-Based Monitoring and Coaching: Feasibility in Chronic Migraine (e38) Marjolijn Sorbi, Sander Mak, Jan Houtveen, Annet Kleiboer, Lorenz van Doornen. 14 Pragmatists, Positive Communicators, and Shy Enthusiasts: Three Viewpoints on Web Conferencing in Health Sciences Education (e39) Ruta Valaitis, Noori Akhtar-Danesh, Kevin Eva, Anthony Levinson, Bruce Wainman. 24 No Increase in Response Rate by Adding a Web Response Option to a Postal Population Survey: A Randomized Trial (e40) Jan Brùgger, Wenche Nystad, Inger Cappelen, Per Bakke. 36 Review The Contribution of Teleconsultation and Videoconferencing to Diabetes Care: A Systematic Literature Review (e37) Fenne Verhoeven, Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen, Karin Dijkstra, Nicol Nijland, Erwin Seydel, Michaël Steehouder. 45 Journal of Medical Internet Research 2007 | vol. 9 | iss. 5 | p.1 XSL·FO RenderX JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH Kollmann et al Original Paper Feasibility of a Mobile Phone±Based Data Service for Functional Insulin Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Alexander Kollmann1, MSc; Michaela Riedl2, MD; Peter Kastner1, MSc,
    [Show full text]
  • ETSI SR 002 959 V1.1.1 (2011-08) Special Report
    ETSI SR 002 959 V1.1.1 (2011-08) Special Report Electronic Working Tools; Roadmap including recommendations for the deployment and usage of electronic working tools in the ETSI standardization process 2 ETSI SR 002 959 V1.1.1 (2011-08) Reference DSR/BOARD-00010 Keywords audio, environment, quality, video ETSI 650 Route des Lucioles F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE Tel.: +33 4 92 94 42 00 Fax: +33 4 93 65 47 16 Siret N° 348 623 562 00017 - NAF 742 C Association à but non lucratif enregistrée à la Sous-Préfecture de Grasse (06) N° 7803/88 Important notice Individual copies of the present document can be downloaded from: http://www.etsi.org The present document may be made available in more than one electronic version or in print. In any case of existing or perceived difference in contents between such versions, the reference version is the Portable Document Format (PDF). In case of dispute, the reference shall be the printing on ETSI printers of the PDF version kept on a specific network drive within ETSI Secretariat. Users of the present document should be aware that the document may be subject to revision or change of status. Information on the current status of this and other ETSI documents is available at http://portal.etsi.org/tb/status/status.asp If you find errors in the present document, please send your comment to one of the following services: http://portal.etsi.org/chaircor/ETSI_support.asp Copyright Notification No part may be reproduced except as authorized by written permission.
    [Show full text]
  • New Directions in Phone- Based and Web-Based Counselling
    New Directions in Phone- based and Web-based Counselling A Discussion Paper __________________ Prepared by: Janice Currie Janice Kelly June 2010 7/20/2010 1 New Directions for KHP/JJ Service New Directions in Phone-based and Web-based Counselling Introduction Kids Help Phone began counselling the kids of Canada in 1989 and at that time, provided phone-based, individual counselling. Twenty plus years later, we continue to offer individual phone counselling and have added the option (in 2002) of web-based online counselling through posts to an internet forum or bulletin board (Smith, 2005) (for definitions of terms, see the Glossary in Appendix A). On our website, each post receives an individual counsellor response, usually within 72 hours. We also offer indirect counselling on the web through the following means: • Visiting the “Ask Us Online” topic-specific forums, kids benefit from reading other kids’ posts and the counsellor response • The Info Booth provides well researched and age-appropriate online information on the more than 50 topics counsellors have identified as important to kids • Self-care strategies are offered through web-based versions of common therapeutic techniques - resiliency building tools, safety planners and high- engagement games to deliver fact-based information and educate • Posting in “Your Space” where kids can share their innermost thoughts, secrets and feelings in a safe and non-judgemental environment Technology is changing and helplines around the world are looking at different ways to reach out to kids in need. This year’s Fifth International Consultation hosted by Child Helpline International (CHI) is focussing on the theme of exploring new channels for service delivery (October, 2010 in Madrid, Spain, to be attended by Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Technology, Social Interaction, and FL Literacy
    New Ways of Learning and Teaching: Focuson Technology and Foreign Language Education Judith A. Muyskens Editor Et.Heinle & Heinle Publishers An International Thomson Publishing Company P Boston, Massachusetts 02116, USA 5 I Copyright © 1998 by Heinle & Heinle. No partsof this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or anyinformation storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing fromthe publisher. Manufactured in the United States of America. Heinle & Heinle Publishersis an International ThomsonPublishing company. ISBN: 0-8384-7809-3 10 9 8 76 5 43 2 1 6 Technology, Social Interaction, and FL Literacy Richard Kern University of California, Berkeley Introduction Technologies of writing are always tied to particular forms of social interac- tion and conceptions of literacy. From stone tablets and papyrus scrolls, to paper and the printing press, and now to computers,technological advances have always created new possibilities as well as challenges for written com- munication. "Technologies are not mere exterior aids," contends Walter J. Ong, "but also interior transformations of consciousness, and never more than when they affect the word" (1982, p. 82). Not only "interior" transfor- mations but also profound social transformations arise from changes in the ways writing is producedand disseminated. The transition from vellum to paper during the twelfththrough fourteenth centuries in Europe, for exam- ple, had a significant impact on literacy practices. The relatively high cost and scarcity of vellum books had meant that reading was most often a pub- lic event, with the text delivered orally to gathered groups of people.
    [Show full text]
  • Learners' Perspectives About Uses of Synchronous and Asynchronous
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of New Mexico University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Education Faculty Publications Scholarly Communication - Departments 10-1-2008 Learners' Perspectives about Uses of Synchronous and Asynchronous Conferencing Systems within an Online Graduate Course: Interpretations through an Activity System Deborah LaPointe Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_fsp Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation LaPointe, Deborah. "Learners' Perspectives about Uses of Synchronous and Asynchronous Conferencing Systems within an Online Graduate Course: Interpretations through an Activity System." (2008). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_fsp/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Scholarly Communication - Departments at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Education Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Learners’ Perspectives about Uses of Synchronous and Asynchronous Conferencing Systems within an Online Graduate Course: Interpretations through an Activity System Abstract Synchronous voice-enabled communication is an established communication technology that is becoming increasingly available in learning management systems. Instructors can implement live voice chats to create engaging learning environments. While research has been reported using synchronous text-based chat, little is known about the experiences distance education learners in graduate study programs have using synchronous voice communication. This article presents findings from a qualitative research project designed to explore graduate students’ perceptions about the effective use of both synchronous and asynchronous communication within a graduate course offered through a WebCT online environment supplemented by Groove.
    [Show full text]
  • Student Training in the Use of an Online Synchronous Conferencing Tool
    Student Training in the Use of an Online Synchronous Conferencing Tool SARAH HEISER URSULA STICKLER CONCHA FURNBOROUGH The Open University, UK ABSTRACT Parallel to the increase of online language teaching, teachers’ training needs have long been established and researched. However, the training needs of students have not yet been fully acknowledged. This paper focuses on learner training as preparation for language classes where online synchronous conferencing is used. It presents an action research cycle consisting of planning and conducting training sessions, analysing evaluative feedback, reflecting on changing needs, re-designing the provision and reiterating the sessions. The research focuses on three iterations of the learner training conducted over a 21-month period, drawing on almost 500 completed student feedback responses. The findings show that students considered the training sessions helpful in establishing how online language classes operate and in gaining confidence to participate actively. Specifically, they benefited from using their L1 to practice techniques for projecting their social presence in an online communicative situation, where they needed to compensate for the absence of non-verbal communication that characterizes face-to-face encounters. As for their teachers, the research demonstrated a need for them to reflect on the terminology they use to explain computer mediated communication (CMC) tools. It also indicated the feasibility of modifying the functionality of the tools. The article concludes with good-practice recommendations for the provision of learner training in online language classrooms. KEYWORDS Online Language Learning, Video Conferencing, Learner Training, Online Synchronous Conferencing INTRODUCTION Whereas the need for training teachers in the use of online tools for language teaching has long been established and researched, students’ need for training has not been fully acknowledged.
    [Show full text]