September 2005 — Features
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Promoting Synchronous Interaction in an eLearning Environment
“Some learners note that talking via Skype makes them more aware of the topic, and that abstract topics seem to make more sense than when using Blackboard Collaboration."
To what extent d'es Skype augment the way group members interact? Skype seems able to augment group interaction; interaction between learners becomes consistent and responsive during the half hour. In Skype, typing is not an issue; learners can save all the mental effort to communicate thoughts, raise questions, and seek clarification by listening, thinking, and speaking. Skype users reported that talking made them stay on task and motivated them to learn.
To what extent d'es Skype influence the way the instructor facilitates an online course? Anecdotal evidence shows that class activities dictate media selection. Activities in the selected classes include significant time spent in group activities. The rationale for the use of Skype to promote a virtual team exercise is three-fold: 1) to solicit immediate feedback and input from peers, 2) to reinforce key points of the course content, and 3) to develop a working relationship toward a final group project. Skype fulfills students’ needs to provide and receive just-in-time information, to access real-time content clarification when necessary, and for all members to get to know each other in a manner that transcends text.
Conclusions
Online courses may not be for everyone. However, when eLearning is the only opportunity to receive education,it will be one of the instructor’s responsibilities to ensure the eLearning experience is as compatible and comparable as possible to students’ prior experience. Any online program may have to accommodate those who are limited to the choice of eLearning.
This qualitative inquiry is deemed significant because of its attempt to discover a new tool that is suitable for a distributed learning environment. The Skype freeware enables CMS users (i.e., the instructor and learners) to provide just-in-time clarification and information. Thus, learners can receive an immediate recognition of their courses of action, such as responsible and responsive participation in the course activities, which, in turn, encourages their autonomous and active or proactive learning on the Web. The audio tool also adds a high-touch, high-tech experience. Above all, a causal relationship between the three key elements of an instructional design approach (i.e., outcomes>activities>technologies) is witnessed in this initial phase of analysis.
Cheng-Chang (Sam) Pan (Sam.Pan@utb.edu) teaches a fully Web-based educational technology graduate program as an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction for the School of Education at The University of Texas at Brownsville/Text Southmost College (UTB/TSC). Michael Sullivan (Mike.Sullivan@utb.edu), an associate professor of educational technology at UTB/TSC, has more than 25 years experience in public education and distance education.
