eden 2006 vienna
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Networking or Notworking?Building Social Presence into Digital Learning Environments
Steve WheelerUniversity of PlymouthUnited Kingdom
Building Social Presence
Up to 50% of students drop out of distance
courses before Completion
(Moore & Kearsley, 1996)
Building Social Presence
High attrition rates are often blamed on loss of
student motivation, social isolation or
technical problems
Building Social Presence
The most successful DEcourses are those in
which social interactionis a dominant or pervasive feature
(Muilenberg & Berge, 2005)
Building Social Presence
Social presence is an important feature of any
successful learning activity within a digital learning environment
Social presence is the perception that one is
communicating with people rather than with
inanimate objects
(Short et al, 1976)
Building Social Presence
Without a perception of connectedness students
can feel isolated and demotivated
Building Social Presence
Perception of distance should be seen as psychological not
physical
Moore (1993)
Building Social Presence
Tutors should aim to provide an online equivalency to f2f
experiences
(Simonson, 1999)
Building Social Presence
Perceptions of distance can be
amplified or reduced through technology
Building Social Presence
Building Social Presence
SocialPresence
Autonomy
Surface
Tenacity
.12
-.30*
-.65*
.02
.82
1.32*
Face to Face Model
n = 305
Building Social Presence
SocialPresence
Autonomy
Surface
Tenacity
.11
-.84*
-.15
.73*
1.75
.48
Telephone Model
n = 51
Building Social Presence
SocialPresence
Autonomy
Surface
Tenacity
.66*
-.05
-.27*
-1.94
.50
.40
E-Mail Model
n = 51
Recommendations
Integration of technologies for
mobile learning in a seamless and
‘transparent’ way
Recommendations
Convergence of 3 Technologies
Provide ‘humanising’ aspects of online learning such as
recognisable human contacts
(e.g. webcasting)
Recommendations
Webcasting
• Live or recorded lectures
• Accompanying media (e.g. PowerPoint; DVD)
• Text based interaction
• Video on demand
Tutors should respond as quickly as possible to questions from remote learners
Recommendations
Students should be encouraged to take
part in collaboration online: (e.g. group
problem solving; wikis, threaded
discussion)
Recommendations
Students need a social space - a facility that
should be built into any managed learning
environment
Recommendations
Tutors should recognise differences in study
approaches and cater for as many as possible within the design of courseware,
guidance and tutorial support
Recommendations
Actively encourage students to participate
in regular group postings, and even to
moderate the discussions
Recommendations
Thank you for listening
Steve WheelerSenior Lecturer in ICT and Education
[email protected]/distancelearning