title: Interactivity in an Online Learning Environment: A Case Study of Participant Experience in Professional Development
Creators: name: Morrow, Revonda G
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2007
Subjects: subject: Interactivity in learning
subject: online learning
subject: online professional development
subject: learner-centric
subject: adult learners
subject: learner-interface
subject: learner-self interactions
subject: online discussion forums
subject: local communities

description: The role of interactivity in learning is seen as important to the processing of content and the creation of new understandings. Whether this interactivity is viewed as internal interaction with the content by individuals or a broader socio-cultural concept of interaction among others, interactivity is seen as critical to learning. What has not been so clearly defined, however, are the ways that interactivity functions for individuals and groups whose learning is increasingly taking place outside the traditional face-to-face methods, supported and managed by information and communication technologies in online learning environments. This study drew on the literature from online learning and online professional development and examines learner-centric forms of interactivity (learner-content, learner-learner, learner-instructor, learner-interface, learner-self, learner-other and learner-environment). It examined the interactivity of a group of learners enrolled in an online professional development course. These adult learners, who were practicing teachers, were experienced in learning through traditional methods of instruction, including face-to-face and traditional distance education, but had little to no experience in online learning. This study specifically sought to answer questions about the nature of the interactivity present in the online environment, the influences that contribute to the interactivity, and the students’ perceptions of how the interactivity supported their learning. The researcher, who was the lecturer in the course, was well-positioned to develop an in-depth understanding of the meanings, perceptions and understandings that students attached to learning online. A case study approach was used and a range of data collection methods were employed including statistical data available from the course management system, archived exchanges in online discussion forums, e-mail exchanged between lecturer and student and interviews with students. The findings of the study demonstrate that the students chose to engage in learnercentric interactions that they believed would further their goals of succeeding in the course. Interaction with the content was seen as core to this success and students used other forms of interactivity to support their processing and understanding of the content. The study revealed that the interactivity that occurred within the online environment was only part of the structure of interactivities that supported the students. Interactions within their local communities developed as students sought emotional, academic and technical support from friends, family and professional colleagues. It was possible to define some types of interactivity as more important to the students and their experience of online learning. Along with learner-content, the students indicated that learner-interface and learner-self interactions exerted a strong direct influence, emphasising the importance and interconnectedness of the content, the learner-self interactions and the interface, which acted as a gatekeeper to the content. Also seen as a direct influence by the students were the interactivity with the environment and the interactivity with others outside of the class, indicating the presence of a strong connection within their local communities that existed outside the online environment. Interactivity with the lecturer and vicarious interactivity with other learners were viewed as having secondary influence while direct interactions with other learners were deemed to be of lesser influence. An analysis of contributions to four online discussions spaced over the fifteen weeks of the course revealed that little social presence existed among the students in the class. Students used the online forums to post their own ideas and opinions but not to challenge or question the opinions or ideas of others. The study also found that the public and textual nature of the online environment was initially a barrier for students and they feared that their writing would be judged and criticised. Even though students became more comfortable with submitting their opinions to the discussion forums, the writing was formal and little direct interaction took place between students. However, students reported that the opportunity to read others’ opinions strongly supported their own learning. Even though there was little direct learner-learner interaction, students still value and learned from the others in the class. Students reported that they were satisfied with the online learning experience and were able to articulate what they had learned and what types of interactivity had supported them. The students mentioned interactions with their local communities as the strongest support for their learning, following by access to the ideas and opinions of others learners, the availability of the lecturer and the time and place independence of the online environment. The findings of this study demonstrate that motivated adult learners choose the types of interactivity that will help them succeed. Although the learners in this study were new to online learning and found some aspects unfamiliar and initially problematic, they developed strong structures within their local communities that supported them academically, emotionally and technically as they participated in the online course. Although learner-learner interactivity was not strong and social presence was low, students still felt satisfied with the experience and perceived that they had learned.