Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek (2009), posit that a new generation of web applications emerged and the various tools through a model called mash-up promote collaboration and networking (p. 244) to contribute to the application of the principles of connectivism in an online environment. Web 2.0 technologies, for instance, include, but are not limited to blogosphere, wikis, podcasting, Google Friend Connect (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008), and other forms of content creation facilitators need to have upper hands on and help equip their learners. Other software such as Adobe Pro Connect facilitate web conference and/or discussion forum both synchronously and asynchronously. Learners' technological abilities influence their predisposition to succeed in online classes. It would be very difficult for online participants to be clueless about technology, especially in this digital age. Technology and multimedia impart teaching and learning, in general, and in online learning environment, in particular.
Another effective software to use is Adobe Captivate 5 (Cp) which is an authoring tool that can integrate different digital media elements such as text, graphic, sound, animation and video into a coherent interactive application in a computer to convey a message or information. It consists of software packages that allow the user to perform the authoring. Cp is suitable for use in this scenario for sequencing and synchronization of digital media elements to the target audience via the Web (Pomales-Garcia, Lopez, & Liu, 2010). Cp provides clarity, organization, simplicity, structure, visual/aesthetical attractiveness, and Excitement. Pomales-Garcia et al. (2010) declared: “By using Adobe Captivate software’s simple point-and-click user interface and automated features, teachers can easily record on-screen actions, add e-learning interactions, create interactive questions and complex branching scenarios with feedback options” (p. 23). Gunawardena, Linder-VanBerschot, LaPointe, and Rao (2010) conducted a study on online courses that were designed using a problem-centered (like the one with Walden University and case-based approach to learning. These courses utilized technologies including learning management systems as well as instructional design tools such as Captivate, and PowerPoint and concluded that “online self-efficacy emerged as the strongest predictor of learner satisfaction; collegial support was the strongest predictor of transfer of learning” (p. 225). Blogging becomes more fun with Cp . Adobe Captivate 5 improves workflow.
Relevant instructional graphics to supplement written text, observing principles such as contiguity principle (place graphics and text close together so that limited working memory is reserved for learning content), modality principle (include audio to explain graphics as audio enhances learning more than text by expanding cognitive resources to simultaneously tap both visual and phonetic memory), redundancy principle (supplement graphics with audio alone rather than audio and redundant text to reduce cognitive overload), coherence principle (avoid using visuals, text, and sounds that are not essential to instruction as unnecessary information impedes learning by interfering with the integration of information, personalization principle (use a conversational tone and/or a personalized learning agent to enhance learning via social conventions to listen and respond meaningfully) (Clark & Mayer ,2002) improve learning through the dual coding of verbal and visual information.
Well-designed multimedia resources can enhance learning and increase online learner’s engagement. It is imperative that online faculty include multimedia to make their course design pedagogically intentional (i.e., including course components with diligent attention to their educational impact, alignment with learning goals, relevance to assessments, while also balancing increasing demands to integrate multimedia as a “best practice” for effective online learning (Mandernach, 2006).
Online learning requires time and skills in defining the total mix of pedagogical methods, which use a combination of different learning strategies (Allen & Seaman, 2007), both with and without the use of technology. The instructor needs to resort to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and or threats (SWOT) analysis of the course management system (CMS) and/or learning management systems (LMS) used. S/he needs to focus on the teaching and learning concerns for system adoption and installations (Simonson et al., 2009). The facilitator has to identify the desired learning outcomes and objective and assess the participants’ needs. S/he has to think about and recommend the minimum requirements of learners’ computer access and Internet connections, in launching the social presence for effective participation. He has to perform a thorough exploration of tool features in order to satisfy the basic needs of instructors and learners (Simonson et al., 2009). He still has to take the time to assess the participants’ receptiveness to and facility with Web-enhanced or online learning programs, to be successful.
The instructor would need to outsource for technology tools solutions software or a well-established e-learning company, to convert the text-based curriculum to an electronic format. The facilitator has to review the roles of the learner, resource persons, and his or her own. Though asynchronous instruction can happen anytime and anywhere, the facilitator needs to provide time to the learners to complete the instruction.
It is imperative for participants in online environment to have the necessary knowledge of the technology used for proper usability and easy accessibility for their success. Facilitators are to be cognizant of this matter and even take a refresher course to enhance their skills; their learners would have to do projects. Cooper, Colwell & Jelf (2007) advise that “ if e-learning research and development projects are to be successfully adopted in real-world teaching and learning contexts, then they must effectively address accessibility and usability issues; and that these need to be integrated throughout the project (p. 231).
The sophistication of information technology provides various course management systems (CMSs) to many universities, colleges, and other institutions to manage learning-related materials and processes (Malikowski, Thompson, & Theis, 2007). Technology tools that provide suitable support for any subject, which feature grade-book, threaded (asynchronous) discussion, real-time chats, and online assessment of learners’ work are most appealing to me for online teaching. I would appreciate the use of tools that allow facilitators to enrich their programs for many diverse learning styles and establish more efficient and meaningful facilitator-student and student-student communication. I would be more interested in using software that enables me to create a library for course resources, with links to other sites, enabling interactive Flash activities, streaming videos, photos, audio, and simulation for innovation in teaching and learning. The cutting edge technology tools should enable mobile learning.
Teaching online requires thoughtful preparation, with engaging icebreakers to launch the social presence (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010). It asks for knowledge and skills of technology tools to build the learning community, community of practice, the social network, based on the theory of connectivism suitable for the digital age.
References
Allen, I.E. & Seaman, J. (2007). Online nation: Five years of growth in online learning. Retrieved from http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/pdf/online_nation.pdf.
Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Cooper, M., Colwell, C., & Jelfs, A. (2007). Embedding accessibility and usability: Considerations for e-learning research and development projects. ALT-J: Research in Learning Technology, 15(3), 231–245.
Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, (52)5, 63-67.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Mandernach, B. J. (2009). Effect of instructor-personalized multimedia in the online classroom. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3), 1-19.
Malikowski, S.R., Thompson, M., & Thesis, J.G. (2007). A model for research into course management systems: Bridging technology and learning theory. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 36(2), 149-173.
Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and Knowing in Networks: Changing roles for Educators and Designers. Retrieved on 2/23/11 from http://www.tskills.it/userfiles/Siemens.pdf.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.). Pearson.
