Online Learning: Rhetoric or reality?

14. Can track learner needs, prior learning and current performance career long:

This implies a level of seamless computer assisted student/staff administration that does not exist, except in organisations with great resources. Also implies either the establishment of a central database (with FOI and security implications) or that individuals stay in the one company/organisation for life.

Research evidence for effectiveness

There are very few studies which explore the use of CIT in combination with other learning tools as part of a total learning design and experience. At present the limited number of available studies are just of a particular form of CIT - like online learning and not of the learning system of which it may have to be part.

A recent (1998) national study conducted at UTS on the impact of CIT projects on student learning did however, find some evidence of improved quality of learning, increased productivity of learning, improved student attitudes to learning, and enhanced access to learning opportunities for students using CIT programs. These outcomes were however, in the minority of the 104 projects studied, and were not the result of the use of IT alone. Rather, a successful learning outcome for students was a result of a complex system of appropriate learning design, adequate preparation and support of students using the projects, an environment in which students had adequate access to CIT equipment, appropriate assessment of learning activities, and a positive experience of group work where that was required.

When this system was in place, there was evidence for a range of improvements in student learning outcomes for particular CIT projects including:

1. development of a more sophisticated and global understanding of complex international political issues;
2. improved understanding of concepts which students are known to have difficulty with in a range of disciplines;
3. enhanced communication between part-time students and their lecturer;
4. learning to work in groups;
5. self-assessment of students’ learning of concepts.

Some of the projects investigated also showed evidence of improved productivity in learning and teaching:

1. decreased time to learn through the use of animations;
2. increased content of learning in a given time through the availability of multiple representations;
3. increased interaction between academic and students through the use of a computer-based conferencing tool on the Internet.

Conclusions

CIT, of itself does not make a difference in improving learning outcomes. However, high quality learning outcomes can be achieved with a combination of appropriate design of the learning activity, appropriate design of assessment of learning to reflect the objectives of the CIT project, adequate preparation of students for different learning experiences, and support for learners as they work in groups.

Most importantly, if we are to ensure that CIT does make a difference for our students, we must more actively develop evaluation studies which demonstrate that the benefits being claimed for its use in education are real.