What is learning?
As I read the information for this week and thought about what we have covered so far in this class and what I know from other classes I put the information together in a new way for me. I think that learning occurs when a person can understand, use, or do something they couldn’t before. In educational terms it might be said that learning is a change in cognitive state. It is important to note that this is a process that occurs within the learner, although it is driven by events or stimuli that are external to the learner. Learning objectives express a desired final outcome. The purpose of assessment is to see if this outcome has been attained. One way to think about this is that there is an initial state and a final (goal) state. The initial state is the starting point and the final state occurs when you can understand, use, or do something you couldn’t at the initial state. Summative assessment looks at the final state but it does not address what occurs between the initial and final states. Formative assessment looks at the progress toward the final state. In my cognition class, I learned that problem solving is described as searching a problem space, which consists of an initial and a goal state. The goal state (problem solution) is reached when a path is found between these two states. The more direct the path between one state and the other, the more expertise is acquired. It occurred to me that there is a striking similarity between this and the definition I came up with for learning. What this says to me is that learning and problem solving are basically the same thing. Learning is a constant process of problem solving by searching for a path to some desired goal state. That means that if the only thing you assess is the final (goal) state, you are discounting a series of cognitive gains. Even if the goal state is not reached, progress may have been made and, more importantly, learning has most likely occurred. This is why formative assessment is critical and why judging learning in schools by summative achievement tests is so seriously flawed. The implication for online learning is that assessing learning requires more than the instructor throwing the information out on the web for the students to gather up. There must be a careful and ongoing analysis of the progress the student is making toward the final outcome. This analysis determines the amount of scaffolding that is needed to allow the students to carve a path toward the final desired outcome, keeping in mind that the path is not always the same for every learner.
What does quality mean in online learning?
Given the definition of learning I have described, I would say that quality online learning involves more than just the achievement of learning objectives, although learning objectives are very important in structuring a learning program. Quality instruction is grounded in quality design. This means that the instruction should meet learner needs, consider the learning context, match appropriate cognitive strategies with specific outcomes, and assess learning based on these specific outcomes. If these conditions are met, it can be said that quality instruction is taking place. An additional quality consideration for online learning is the delivery system. The system should ensure accessibility, confidential and accurate record keeping, and provide appropriate resources and opportunities for interaction. All of these attributes should be considered as part of the quality assurance process of online learning.
Conceptual Framework for Evaluation Online Learning Quality
I think that the three presences described in Chapter 11 of Anderson and Elloumi (2004) make an ideal framework for the evaluation of online learning quality. The cognitive presence addresses the need to ensure that the context and instructional practices support and reflect learning theory. The social presence addresses the need for support and collaboration that is required according to social learning theory. The teaching presence places focus on the implementation of sound instructional practice and subject matter expertise. If the evaluation of online learning is viewed through this lens, it seems to me that all aspects of quality instruction will be considered. The structure might look something like this:
Cognitive
Objectives and outcomes are aligned
Delivery method matches outcomes
Ongoing formative assessment is part of the design
Content and process are integrated
Learning context is considered in instructional delivery
Appropriate scaffolding is provided
Social
Student needs are met with regard to learning environment
Opportunities for collaboration and communication are accessible
Discourse is encouraged and supported
Feedback opportunities are provided
Teaching
Instructor has adequate content knowledge
Opportunities for peer instruction are available
Strategies are implemented to encourage discourse and active learning
A collaborative environment is established in which learning is the norm
