基于辍学研究的电大课程教学反思——以“变化中的英语”课程为例

本文基于电大辍学归因研究中的学习负荷问题展开讨论。调查显示,学习负荷过高造成了许多电大学生在学习道路上的无功而返,而学习的高负荷是由课程难度与学生学术水平之间的落差所造成的。本研究旨在通过对电大课程教学过程的审视,探究其学术支持服务手段的有效性。本研究以2011年3-6月上海电大A分校2010春英语专业本科层次"变化中的英语"课程教学为个案,通过面授课堂观察、课程形成性考核记录、网上教学记录、课程期末考试成绩聚焦课程教学效果。研究结果显示,电大的课程教学支持服务手段仍停留于传统教学模式,而作为重要学习辅助手段的网上学习,其形式意义占据和弥漫于抽样所在班级师生的观念中,导致学习支持的可获得性受到制约;同时,由于任课教师在电大体制下被层层嵌于一个庞大的系统之中,教师的能动性在改善课程教学效果时会受到一定程度上的限制;第三,在多方原因的共同作用下,现行教学模式下学生的课业表现与预期课程教学目标之间存有潜在的些微差距,会在一定程度上影响任课教师对自身课程教学的判断和调整。改变这种状况,电大教学组织制度的变革和对教师支持服务力度的加强势在必行。     

Assessing the quality of online courses from the students' perspective

The purpose of this study was to develop a survey based on the findings in existing research regarding students' perceptions and preferences related to online course delivery. Researchers have found that the following areas are important for student satisfaction with online instruction, interaction among students, quality and timely interaction between student and professor, consistent course design across courses, technical support availability, and flexibility of online courses compared to face-to-face. The student survey, once developed, was used to assess the quality of online course delivery by the faculty at a small upper level university in Texas. Results of the survey indicate that faculty at this institution are delivering online classes that meet the students' needs in regard to interaction with professors and classmates and course content. Results also indicate the need to develop a consistent course structure across classes and to provide extended technical support hours.     

学习支持服务的新模式(英文)

远程教育项目实施的关键因素之一就是学习支持服务。传统的学生支持服务观念将其界定为除课程材料制作和传送之外帮助学生学习取得进展的一切活动(Simpson,2000)或者课程制作之外的所有过程(Sharma,2000;Keegan,1996)。随着在线学习的发展及其在远程教育中所处的主导地位,有必要反思学习支持,且不同于传统或第一代远程教育中的学习支持。网络技术促进了知识的社会创建/建构和对用户生成内容的共享,二者均将学习者看作是知识创建/建构的积极参与者。本文分析了开放与远程数字化学习情境下学习支持服务的关注点,并重点关注在线学习者的挫败感、在线讨论中的沉默文化、基于共同体的学习支持,以及教师在整个学习支持服务提供中的角色。文章主要基于菲律宾开放大学十多年来实施开放与远程数字化学习的经验,并就学习支持系统应具备的属性提出了建议。     

引领式网络课程:理念及设计

随着信息技术的发展和广泛应用,基于互联网的网络教学得到迅速发展,网络教育模式正经历着从单纯的信息呈现向学习者参与的转变,而如何解决网络教学中存在的导学功能薄弱、资源利用率较低、资源质量欠佳、交互效果不理想等现象,以提高网络教学的质量和网络学习的效果,是广大从事远程网络教学教师关注的问题。因此,近期我校与北京大学教育学院郭文革教授进行了交流,郭教授以北京大学开发的"全国中小学教师教育技术能力建设计划网络培训课程的设计和实施"为例,介绍了采用引领式网络课程,在Moodle平台上构建课程结构和内容,开展网上学习活动、过程性评价、教学管理等情况,阐明要依据成人学习者的需求,用新的理念和方法来设计网络课程。经郭教授同意我们将主要交流内容整理如下,以飨读者。     

A learner–centred approach to developing team skills through web–based learning and assessment

In traditional face–to–face classrooms, collaborative learning has been endorsed as an effective pedagogy that fosters skills of analysis, communication and higher order thinking. Increasingly, as online learning environments for tertiary learners make use of course support systems, there is greater recognition of the potential of communications technologies to foster dialogue, networking and team skills among learners. Such skills are now among the recognised core attributes that graduates are expected to develop. In face–to–face classroom students learn the skills of collaboration and teamwork by engaging in tasks defined and supervised by a teacher. In online environments teacher presence is often limited to task definition, management and feedback functions. Team skills and collaboration therefore need to be supported though different pedagogies and processes such as establishing a climate of trust and openness, communication protocols, resolution of conflict and group processes that provide sanctions and support. In this paper we describe an innovative approach to building the skills of decision–making and conflict resolution, leadership and clarity in goal setting and communication. A case study of tertiary learners illustrates how the essential aspects of task definition, resources to support group learning and integrated online assessment foster team skills.     

对深圳开放大学学习支持服务体系建设的思考——与英国开放大学的比较与借鉴

英国开放大学是当今世界远程开放教育的翘楚,其完备的学习支持服务体系、优质的学习资源、全过程个性化的学习指导和先进的技术服务值得学习和借鉴。深圳电大在建设开放大学的进程中,应从转变办学理念、组建学生支持服务团队、培养高素质的教师队伍、建设高质量的教学课程资源等四个方面改进提高。     

Student performance in computing education: an empirical analysis of online learning in programming education environments

The benefits of using online exercises have been analysed in terms of distance learning, automatic assessment and self-regulated learning. In this study, we have not found a direct proportional relationship between student performance in the course exercises that use online technologies and the exam grades. We see that the average submission rate to these online exercises is not positively correlated with the exercise points. Yet, our results confirm that doing exercises along supports student learning and skill accumulation equipping them with the knowledge of programming. While the student performance in programming courses is affected by factors such as prior background in programming, cognitive skills and the quality of teaching, completing the course exercises via learning-by-doing is an indispensable part of teaching. Based on the student feedback from the course survey, the students are highly satisfied with using online technologies as part of learning.     

试论网络教育的技术支持服务

阐述了远程教育的两大支柱：远程课程的设计开发和学习支持服务的功能,认为学习支持服务是保证网络教育质量和促成远程学习者学业成功的尤为重要的因素,根据功能可将其分为学术支持服务、管理支持服务和资源与技术支持服务三大类。从计算机网络技术支持服务人手,讨论了计算机网络技术支持对于网络教育的特殊意义．并通过了解美国网络高校对学习者提供学习资源和技术支持服务的现状,为我国高校网络教育的改革与发展提出对策性建议。     

如何提高网络环境下形成性评价的反馈质量——北外网院的实践

形成性评价在远程教学中发挥了重要的作用。科学的形成性评价不仅可以帮助学生理清课程学习重点,还可有效地督促学生学习。反馈是形成性评价的重要环节,及时有效的反馈对于远程学习者尤为重要。本文介绍并评估在北京外国语大学网络教育学院(以下简称"北外网院")开展的一项旨在提高形成性评价反馈质量的教学实验。结果表明,实验教师认识到反馈的重要性并能够提供有效反馈。研究提出的基于网络的教师反馈监控机制对于保证和提高远程教学质量的探索将有重要的启示作用。     

Examining the relationship among student perception of support, course satisfaction, and learning outcomes in online learning

Support for student learning is a key element in optimizing student learning experiences in any learning environment and its importance has been widely discussed. This study looked at student support, particularly in the course context, focusing mainly on guidance provided to students within a course. Three categories of support were identified and used for the purpose of this study: instructional, peer, and technical support. A total of 110 students completed an online survey on students' perceptions of support and course satisfaction in an undergraduate online course at a large southeastern university. The results showed perceived support was significantly related to their overall satisfaction of the online course. The findings of this study suggest that teachers should communicate what types of support are available to students and provide an easy way of accessing and taking advantage of the support.     

Satisfaction and completion in correspondence study: The influence of instructional and student‐support services

Abstract

Correspondence education can provide college‐level instruction that is efficient, economical, and sensitive to the changing needs of traditional and adult learners. However, to ensure the development of the educational environment necessary for effective education to occur, providers need to be aware of factors that contribute to student satisfaction and persistence in correspondence education. This article examines the relationship between student satisfaction and course completion in relation to the provision and perceived quality of instructional and student‐support services.     

Data for free: Using LMS activity logs to measure community in online courses

In the study of online learning community, many investigators have turned attention to automatically logged web data. This study aims to further this work by seeking to determine whether logs of student activity within online graduate level courses related to student perceptions of course community. Researchers utilized the data logging features of the Moodle learning management system and the Classroom Sense of Community Index. Results reveal that cumulative course data logs are predictive of both a student's sense of connectedness and student community. This study adds to a foundation for a non-invasive assessment of affective variables in online learning environments, and suggests a simple method for providing e-learning instructors with real-time feedback for fostering online community.     

网络课程平台中学习者激励机制的设计与应用研究

众多调查研究表明,网络课程平台中学习者访问率有限,全部学完课件比例较低,师生网上交互不够热烈,研究者指出可能有以下原因导致：网络课程资源的单调性、学习者学习积极性不足、学习者激励措施不到位等。综述所言：网络课程平台对学习者学习驱动性不足,笔者将网络课程平台中驱动学习者完成学习的因素分为强制性因素与人本化因素两种,强制性因素是指平台中具有相对学习者而言的不可替代性元素,如网上作业、学籍服务、师生交互等;人本化因素是指平台中“以学习者为本”元素吸引着学习者自觉自愿选择网络课程平台完成学习。因为平台能满足学习者内在知识需求,提供给学习者愉悦的学习体验。笔者通过将网络课程平台与网络游戏系统的对比,设计了基于平台中人本化因素的学习者激励机制,并根据笔者描述的网络课程平台学习者学习流程,提出了流程中每个环节激励措施及实现策略。     

远程教育英语专业学习资源的实用性设计

学习资源作为远程学习者学习的主要内容,其设计的优劣会直接影响学习者的学习兴趣、学习动力、学习成效和满意度。优化远程教育学习资源的实用性设计是保持远程学习者在学率的重要途径。通过对远程开放教育英语专业学习者在学习资源使用、学习时间利用、教学互动参与等方面的调查和访谈发现：远程学习者仍以课程教材为主、以配套光盘和学习指导书及在线学习资源为辅展开课程学习,但是学习者无法对学习资源按需查取;学习者倾向于使用简短的视频课件资源,但面临时间占有率和信息处理强度的挑战;学习者由于英语专业的特殊性很难进行实质性的个性化学习和教学互动。因此,开放大学在新一轮的英语专业学习资源设计过程中,应以教材为中心,将各种形式的学习资源进行一体化设计和精细划分,对网络视频课应分类设计、系列制作、微型呈现,对网络学习平台应减少级数,促进全国范围内远程学习者的信息共享和多维互动学习。     

Collective reflective assessment for shared epistemic agency by undergraduates in knowledge building

We examined the facilitation of shared epistemic agency through a knowledge-building (KB) design that included analytics-supported collective reflective assessment (AsCRA). Forty undergraduate students taking a Liberal Studies course at a university in central China used the promising ideas tool and the knowledge building discourse explorer to self-analyze the online discourse they had created in Knowledge Forum® (KF), an online discourse environment; 34 students in a comparison section of the same course used KF but did not use the additional tools. Both classes were taught by the same teacher and studied the same inquiry topics. Multifaceted analysis of students' interaction in and the quality of discourse on KF, an educational online platform, indicated that analytics-supported reflective assessment helped them to develop high-level shared epistemic agency in the KB process. Qualitative analysis showed that AsCRA helped students to focus on high-level goals (idea negotiation, synthesis of ideas and rise above thinking) in KB, and to engage in continuous assessment, reflection, and action planning to regulate and improve their discourse. The findings have important implications for the design of technology-rich environments to support learners, and may help teachers identify the potential uses of such environments to encourage learners to engage in productive collaborative inquiry and develop metacognition and agency.     

网络教学资源有效性探析——以课程辅导答疑库为例

优质的远程学习支持服务应针对学习者的特点及需求提供教学资源。随着远程教育的发展,传统的网络教学资源已不能满足教与学的需求。课程辅导答疑库是资源支持服务的一种创新形式。课程辅导答疑库建设应以促进学生个体发展和内容、技术的有效性为价值取向。     

Broadening the Learning in University Environment: Process Reengineering Through Information and Networking Technologies (BLUEPRINT 2000)

This paper presents the result of an extensive study funded by HEFCE HEFCE is UK government Higher Education Funding Council for England. and the European Commission (EC) for Broadening the Learning in University Environment: Process Reengineering through Information and Networking Technologies (BLUEPRINT 2000) model. In comparison to other existing models which are merely focusing on stand-alone computer-based learning environment, this paper describes a complete model covering all aspects of tertiary education, not only servicing but also administering in an all virtual and electronic manner. The model considers an asynchronous and synchronous part. The asynchronous part deals with the discovery of learning material, course work, institution, course and institution brokerage. It also describes learning material and course development tools, administration and tutorship. The synchronous part of the model focuses on the intercommunication between virtual university members to ensure that isolation of learners is prevented as much as technology is able to help. The aim of this paper is to establish a commercial operation for administering, operating, marketing, delivering and supporting online and all electronic higher education, using information and communication technologies (ICT). The system would eliminate student's techno phobia across the range of organizations and disciplines by ‘total immersion’ using groupware, desktop videoconferencing with application sharing and access to resources via the Internet. Furthermore, the system will enable a high degree of online interactions from student-to-student, student-to-tutor, tutor-to-tutor, administrator-to-administrator and institution-to-institution both on one-to-one and forum basis. The BLUEPRINT 2000 model develops new and cost-effective methodologies for teaching dynamic subjects whilst improving the quality of student support in general. The system will lead to a potentially global club of life-long learners with access to the ‘first and best’ sources of education. In addition, it supports dynamic role assignment, that is a student of one subject can be a lecturer or tutor of another subject. It therefore utilizes resources and allows knowledge sharing in an optimal way on both individual and institutional basis. Hence it offers significant commercial benefits to all partners involved in the venture. The business case allows modular implementation based on pilots which will both generate revenues in the short term but also instigate the setting up of a dedicated IT infrastructure to support many new telematics services thus the implementation would be low risk in respect of financial and administrative operations.