EDET+780+Critique+1

Catherine Murphy May 19, 2010 AEET/EDET 780

Critique 1 Rhode, Jason F. (2009, February). Interaction Equivalency in Self-Paced Online Learning Environments: An Exploration of Learner Preferences. //International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(1),// 1-23. __@http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/43/99/3b.pdf__

The purpose of this study was to determine learner preferences of forms of interactions with others within a self-paced online learning environment and their perceptions of how effective each form of interaction was on their overall learning experience. The course from which the sample was derived was delivered via the Blackboard learning management system (LMS) and each section was entirely self-paced with only an end-of-course deadline to submit all assignments. The study sample was composed via a "convenience sampling" method of adult learners who had successfully completed two concurrent sections of an online undergraduate certificate course in educational technology lasting one month each. One section of the course, which took place in September 2007, was made up of fourteen students, while the other, taking place in August 2007, consisted of only one student. The lone student was able to interact with students enrolled in other sections of the course. Students who successfully completed the course were then asked via email to participate in the study by offering feedback on their experience in the course through an in-depth interview via phone. The results were then transcribed and coded for emerging themes and rated by the participants by level of importance. Of the total of fifteen students enrolled in the course, ten volunteered to participate in the study: nine from the September section, and the one student from the August section.
 * Introduction**

The study was based around previous literature about online learning which highlights three main forms of interaction in a self-paced online course: student-instructor, student-content, and student-student interaction, according to Anderson's (2003) Interaction Equivalency Theorem. The researcher sought to determine whether students perceived one or more forms of interaction of higher importance the other(s).

The outcome of the study was that students placed their interactions with the instructor, and the quality of the course content to be of higher importance than their interactions with other students in the course. The author states this is consistent with previous research which states the instructor and course content is of utmost importance in online learning. Yet, "simultaneously, these findings contradict the notion purported by some that collaboration with fellow learners is either preeminent or can potentially compensate for well-designed content and active instructor involvement (Anderson et al., 2005; Rovai & Barnum, 2003; Russo & Benson, 2005; Tu & McIsaac, 2002).

The largest limitation of this study were the small sample size of only ten participants in one online course. The author readily states that further research needs to be done to truly understand learner preferences when it comes to forms of interactions in online learning. The author also states that perhaps the lower ranking of student-student interactions was due to the short duration of the course. Students reported in the interview that they did enjoy interacting with other classmates, and the use of the various social networking tools available through the Blackboard LMS, as well as other Web 2.0 tools available during the course, but felt the self-paced nature made such interactions difficult. These findings cannot be applied to represent the feelings of all students enrolled in all online self-paced learning contexts.

We can deduce from this research that further research will continue to be necessary for instructional designers working in online learning contexts. If I were conducting research in this area, I would apply an evaluation system for use in all self-paced online courses in which I would obtain more demographic information, and evaluate student's preferences before, during, and after course completion to see how and if student opinion changes during the online learning process.


 * Critique**

I thought this article was relatively well organized. The research questions were clearly stated. Previous literature was cited often and seemed relevant to the study. However, sometimes the cited previous research seemed to be overly repetitive and at times a bit confusing to this reader. The author writes for his target audience of online educators and instructional designers. The data collection and tables used in the article were clear and concise. However, I wish the author would have included more demographic information about the participants in the study. With such a small sample, this information could have painted a better picture of those who participated and a better understanding of the implications to be derived from the study.

This article made me personally think about what forms of interaction I value most as an online learner, as well implications for me as a future facilitator of online learning. I personally value the student-student component of online learning as a system of checks and balances for myself as a learner, or my future students as a facilitator. Having access to work by other students and working collaboratively during an online course reinforces my confidence and can help me expand my knowledge and understanding of the topics at hand, and my future students could possibly feel the same. The report leaves more to be desired as far as knowledge to be gained from the research. It simply states consistency or inconsistency with previous research, and the need for further evaluation. The theory evaluated is very clearly stated, however, with the evaluation of student's opinion of online learning based on Anderson's (2003) Interaction Equivalency Theorem. More research is clearly needed for this findings to be applicable in a broader context to know how students interpret and value interaction with others in an online learning environment.


 * Conclusion**

I think this study can be of value to online educators and instructional designers, despite it's limitations. It can serve as a jumping-off point for further research to truly understand what online learners value most about their learning experiences. A much larger sample consisting of online learners in different contexts, such as continuing education and training, or K-12 learners is needed before generalizations can be made to all online learners' attitudes toward interaction with others in online learning environments. This study did inspire me to think of what makes online learning a successful and rewarding learning experience, which will be a constant point of interest for me as a student of online learning, as well as a future facilitator.

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