L5 2 1

=Course (re)development plans include a structured interaction design incorporating a variety of communication channels. =

Evidence
Berge (1998) listed many fears that still have a major impact on academic resistance to online learning. Amongst the most relevant almost a decade later are: "faceless" teaching… Will the ‘facelessness’ of online learning mean a loss of control and ability to guide students? This ability is normally aided by an effective use and understanding of body language by the academic. The answer here is the effective inculcation of good online communication skills. Transactional distance (Moore, 1973) refers to the psychological and physical effects of teacher-learner geographic separation, which are influenced by structure – design of a course – (more structure increases transactional distance), and dialogue between teacher-learner (more dialogue decreases transactional distance).

The online environment demands flexibility in managing interpersonal communications. This requires planning to maximise the effectiveness of interactions and consideration of alternatives in the event of excessive time constraints (Anderson, 2003, p. 134) Teachers’ expertise in, and effective management of, interaction with students is vital for other types of interaction that happen in a learning content-system environment (Bouhnik and Marcus, 2006). Bouhnik and Marcus propose a model of interactivity, which they characterise as ‘interconnected roads on the e-learning map’ (p. 304). The teacher’s role is to guide students towards successfully negotiating and exploring all paths for interactivity.

Bouhnik and Marcus (2006) follow the notion of four types of interaction: learner-content; learner-teacher; learner-learner; learner-system. They propose a model that envisions a content and system environment within which the teacher is situated at the peak of a learning pyramid which interconnects teacher-learner and learner-learner communication (p. 304). They note that all interactions are interrelated and ‘intertwined with the course content’ and comprise ‘interconnected roads on the e-learning map’ (pp. 303-4). Some research suggests that it is important to establish a community of learners. This includes establishing study groups early, modelling and reinforcing effective communication, identifying potential problems and designing a plan for dealing with problems (Knupfer et al. 1997). Course development plans must address these needs.

Resources
What is needed is to plan course (re)development around a structured program of support for online communication skills, and to encourage a variety of mechanisms for dialogue between teacher and learner

Feedback in groups may have diluted effects (Hattie & Timperley 2007). That said students from collectivist cultures preferred indirect and implicit feedback, while students from individualist cultures preferred more direct feedback. They also found that the most effective forms of feedback provide cues and reinforcement in the form of video, audio, or computer-assisted instructional feedback. Therefore a variety of feedback channels should be used, not merely written feedback.

Some research suggests that it is important to establish a community of learners. This includes establishing study groups early, modelling and reinforcing effective communication, identifying potential problems and designing a plan for dealing with problems (Knupfer et al. 1997). Course development plans must address these needs.