LIRT NEWS: June 2000

TECH TALK

By Billie Peterson, billie_peterson@baylor.edu

Dear Tech Talk—

We are considering moving some of our instruction activities from a traditional classroom setting to a web-based environment — perhaps tutorials or something of that nature. It seems like many libraries are moving in this direction. Is this an effective way to present library instruction? What pedagological issues should we consider? —Positively Puzzled by Pedagogies

Dear PPP—

Web-based instruction is defined as “a hypermedia-based instructional program which utilizes the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web to create a meaningful learning environment where learning is fostered and supported.” (Web-Based Instruction, page 6) The operative word in this definition is, “meaningful.” Just because instruction is delivered via the Web, that does not necessarily make it meaningful. This mode of instructional delivery hasn’t really been around long enough for the production of any in-depth pedagological research; however many educators and trainers are using web-based instruction/teaching/training (WBI or WBT) and in describing their experiences, common themes in instructional pedagogy for web-based instruction can be seen.

The two most common themes seen are that the best WBI is learner-centered and that good WBI does not come from simply moving the classroom model to the web without any pedagological reengineering.

Many librarians still use an instructor-centered (instructivist) pedagogy when presenting library instruction — perhaps because of the time constraints of a one-shot presentation; perhaps because that is how they were taught; perhaps because that is the quickest and easiest model for them to implement. With a learner-centered (constructivist) pedagogy, students construct their own knowledge by restructuring content information and creating and contributing their own resources to the course structure (Dabbagh & Schmitt).

Web-based tutorials lend themselves to the instructivist pedagogy — the student is led down the path (or paths) that the instructor believes the student needs to go. Does this mean that the use of the web for tutorials is bad pedagogy? Not necessarily — if a web-based tutorial achieves the desired instructional goals and objectives, then use it. However, don’t limit WBI to tutorials. Seriously look at pedagogically reengineering instruction in order to make the best use of the web as an instructional tool. Take advantage of the pedagological potential of the web — move away from structured, linear learning models. Consider using problem-based learning — students are presented with a problem rather than given the tools for solving the problem. Through the process of solving the problem, the students discover and learn about the tools needed to solve the problem. Look at the web as an instructional tool with the potential of providing learning opportunities that are not possible or not perceived as possible in a traditional classroom environment.

Therefore, another common theme from those with practical experience in Web- based instruction is a strong emphasis on planning and designing. Instructors frequently stress that the planning and design process took longer than anticipated. Additionally, they found that during their first experience with the WBI in place, they often made changes and tweaked the WBI as they went along because, inspite of all the the planning, there were still times when aspects of the instruction did not work as expected. Even though these experiences may be associated with WBI that is spread out over several weeks or a semester, the issue of devoting a substantial amount of time and creative energy to the planning and design process still applies to library instruction, especially if one wants to move beyond the tutorial model to a more learner-centered and interactive model.

Consider these “do’s" in web-based instruction —

Develop instructional goals and objectives;
Focus on learner-centered, inter- active, problem-based learning to address identified instructional goals and objectives — be the “guide on the side” instead of the “sage on the stage”;
Think about the overall layout — from a birdseye view of how everything fits together as well as a functional, design-based perspective;
Keep pages (especially text-based pages) brief;
Design using technological minimalism — don’t assume that the students have all of the tech nological skills, tools, and knowledge that you have;
Think about how feedback will be obtained in an environment where there are no facial expressions or body language to be seen;
Test, test, and test again;
With longer, on-going instruction, foster an environment of cooperation and trust among the instructor and the students and the students and other students;
And, perhaps even more than with traditional instruction, constantly reevaluate and redesign.

One more ingredient for successful web-based instruction is something over which the instructor has very little control — the characteristics of students who do well in a web-based learning environment. These students need to be active learners who are resourceful, work independently, can organize and manage their time, and take responsiblity for their work. Even though the instructor has little control over this ingredient, in designing WBI instrution, instructors need to be aware of these learner characteristics and try to incorporate features into the WBI that will foster and encourage the development of these characteristics.

Given the growing number of resources available to learners on the World Wide Web and given the value of learning to use these and other resources effectively, the World Wide Web as an instructional tool appears to be an ideal vehicle for providing the needed instruction. WBI is time and place independent, which is an ideal instruction model for distance education students. Because of the non-linear character of WBI and the different tools that can be used with WBI (chat, e-mail, tutorials, audio, visual, and textual information, dynamic pages) the same type of information can be presented and learned in a variety of ways, providing a flexible learning pedagogy. WBI is a model well worth using, as long serious effort goes into the planning process so that web-based instruction at least equals, and hopefully exceeds, the student outcomes associated with the more traditional forms of library instruction.

Additional Resources:

American Psychological Association. “Learner Centered Psychological Principles: A Framework for School Redesign and Reform.” http://www.apa.org/ed/lcp.html

Berge, Zane L. “Guiding Principles in Web-Based Instructional Design.” Educational Media International 35.2 (June 1998):72-76.

Berge, Zane L. “Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator.” http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~mpc3/moderate/teach_online.html

Blackhurst, A. Edward and Elizabeth A. Lahm. “Using an Education Server Software System to Deliver Special Education Coursework via the World Wide Web.” Journal of Special Education Technology (Spring 1998): 78-97, particularly pages 89-90.

Bonk, Curtis Jay and Jack A. Cummings. “A Dozen Recommendations for Placing the Student at the Centre of Web-Based Learning.” Educational Media International 35.2 (June 1998):82-98.

Chickering, Arthur W. and Ehrmann, Stephen. “Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever.” http://www.aahe.org/technology/ehrmann.htm

“Creating Sites That Work.” http://staff.washington.edu/rells/usability/

Cyrs, Thomas E., ed. Teaching and Learning at a Distance: What It Takes to Effectively Design, Deliver, and Evaluate Programs . San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1997.

Dabbagh, Nada H. and Jeff Schmitt. “Redesigning Instruction Through Web-based Course Authoring Tools.” Educational Media International 35.2 (June 1998):106-110.

Firdyiwek, Yitna. “Web-Based Courseware Tools: Where is the Pedagogy.” Educational Technology (January-February 1999):29-34.

Gillette, David. “Pedagogy, Architecture, and the Virtual Classroom.” Technical Communication Quarterly (Winter 1999):21-36.

Kearsley, Greg. “A Guide to Online Education.” http://gwis.circ.gwu.edu/~etl/online.html

Kearsley, Greg. “A Virtual Professor: A Case Study.” http://pignc-ispi.com/articles/distance/kearsley-virtualprofessor. htm

Learning on the Web: An Instructor’s Manual. http://teleeducation.nb.ca/lotw/

Office of Learning Technologies’ Instructor’s Corner http://olt-bta.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/pract/index.html

Pitt, Tina and Ann Clark. “Creating Powerful Online Courses Using Multiple Instructional Strategies.” http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/tcc_conf97/pres/pitt.html

“Tips for Teaching with Technology.” http://www.unc.edu/cit/tips/

Web-based Instruction . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications, 1997.

“Web-Based Training Information Center.” http://www.filename.com/wbt/

“Web-Based Instruction”. http://online.okstate.edu/webbased.htm

As always, send questions and comments to:

Snail Mail: Tech Talk Billie Peterson Moody Memorial Library P. O. Box 97143 Waco, TX 76798-7143 E-Mail: Billie_Peterson@baylor.edu

LIRT News, June 2000. Volume 22, number 4.
To report problems, please contact the LIRT News Production editor at jronan@ufl.edu

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