0.1 Literature review

Literature review

This study will examine the teaching beliefs and practices of instructors using online courseware to teach graduate-level courses at a variety of colleges and universities in the U.S. The review of the literature consists of two parts:

1. the online social environment and
2. course management systems.

In the first section, the focus is the interaction in the online learning environment based. The two main topics included are the nature of asynchronous text-based communications and the use of course management systems. How the course management system shapes the course design and the communications conducted within the course is explored.

The online social environment

Kreijns, Kirschner, and Jochems (2003) found that because the online environment has the tools to build social context, many have mistakenly assumed that social interaction would automatically occur. The instructor must intentionally design activities and situations so the students to get to know each other at a distance. Students need to get to know their classmates and instructor through off-task communication in order to build trust. Walther’s study (1992) indicated that time spent engaging in social, non-course related communication within the online class context helped break down barriers between class participants with each other and with the instructor.

Before students will engage willingly in collaboration, they must trust one another, feel a sense of belonging, and feel close to each other ( Rourke, 2000 ). They need to feel that they will be treated sympathetically by the instructor and fellow students. If the instructor limits interactions to the cognitive content, feelings of trust may not develop. Students will likely feel anxious, defensive, and unable or unwilling to risk being vulnerable to exposure necessary to the learning process ( Kreijns et al., 2003; Rourke, 2000 ).

Faculty recounted that feedback is essential to cultivate the learning experience, as well as foster the connections to the institution ( Lewis&Abdul-Hamid, 2006 ). In face-to-face learning environments, students can develop confidence in participating in class discussions by making social comparisons to the performance of other students ( An&Kim, 2006 ). However, due to the lack of immediacy of feedback as well as the lack of cues such as facial expressions and body language in the asynchronous online course, it takes longer for students to develop trust and confidence with their peers than in face-to-face classes ( Walther, 1992 ). Instructors report that learning takes longer using computer-mediated communication and less material can be covered in a semester in the asynchronous, online environment ( Kreijins. 2003 ).

Online communication

Communication patterns between teacher and student are different in the online environment using text-based asynchronous communication from face-to-face interactions. The instructor must carefully craft instruction and model good communication to help the students build the affective realm of the online class. Trust building in online environments that takes place early in the semester through off-task social communication can increase feelings of trust, a sense of warmth and belonging, as well as closeness among the participants ( Rourke, 2000 ).