Shaking Up Online Education
In the past few years, associations and their members have been slowly but surely embracing online education. (ASAE will be publishing some new research on that shortly on its economy page.) So I took notice this week when the Chronicle of Higher Education published its list of 12 Tech Innovators, many of whom are trying to change how learning happens online. Among them:
- Jim Groom, a fierce booster of web-based learning that invites peer collaboration
- Candace Thille, whose Online Learning Initiative supports hybrid learning through team-built online modules, supporting classroom education while saving costs.
- Salman Khan, a promoter of self-guided video education
- Burck Smith, whose company, StraighterLine, partners with other companies to produce introductory online courses.
All different ideas, but a common theme emerges: Education is moving (perhaps rapidly) from a one-size-fits-all, lecture-based model to one that's more fluid and responsive to student input. Interviewees like Khan aren't saying that the classroom as we know it is dead, but the classroom lecture may be. Khan says his model has "made universities--and I can cite examples of this--say, Why should we be giving 300-person lectures anymore?"
Why indeed? Many association leaders might ask themselves the same question when it comes to their conferences or the education programs they support for certifications. (It's OK; you don't have to say that the first answer that popped in your head was a ka-ching! sound.) On the one hand, the authority of a lecturer, especially an in-person one, is valuable when it comes to presenting highly technical information. On the other, the flexibility of online courses can bring in more potential members, and perhaps even be a revenue driver. (Though according to Figure 17 of a white paper ASAE published last year on the economy, online education revenue hasn't matched execs' hopes for it.)
At first glance, Groom's DS106 project looks too chaotic to apply in an association context, but Thille's module-based Open Learning Initiative looks to be a smart, cleanly organized project. I know plenty of associations have been experimenting in this space, so what's working for you? What isn't?
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Comments
I think that one of the reasons that online education may not have taken off as quickly as associations have hoped is that completing online courses when you are working in isolation can be tough. My son is taking some of his high school courses through an online provider, and its pretty clear that when he doesn't establish a good connection with the teacher, his motivation to keep making progress fades away.
I think a significant part of online education is having a community that you can be a part of; that you can rely on to help you when you have a question or just need a little support, and that can enliven the material through discussion and debate. Its not just enough to have a collection of good quality courses that you make available to your members.
And online community can contribute to education in less formal ways as well such as Q&A forums with experts from your association on hand to provide solid information, or online mentoring programs.
Posted by: Terry Coatta | February 29, 2012 4:27 PM
Excellent post and something I've been railing about for a while. For association professionals who are looking to reinvent education I recommend the following books: DIY U by Anya Kamanetz, Unlocking the Gates by Taylor Walsh and A New Culture of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown.
A New Culture of Learning actually has implications for membership as well, so it's a two-fer :D.
Happy reading and reinventing. Our associations' capacity to function as vital adult learning centers is only limited by our own willingness to innovate around education delivery.
Posted by: Shelly Alcorn, CAE | March 1, 2012 12:15 PM
Thanks for your comments, Shelly and Terry. Terry, I think you're right that there's a concern among members (real or perceived) that online education means disengagement from fellow members or teachers. One factoid that emerged from ASAE's "Decision to Learn" study is that 60 percent of people reported that they'd participated in some kind of distance learning but ranked it dead last in terms of preferred learning formats. Clearly those learning formats fill a niche for people who can't travel or afford the expense of in-person learning. But there's something about the delivery methods that remains unappealing.
Posted by: Mark Athitakis | March 5, 2012 10:51 AM
The delivery mechanism may be appealing to some right now, but I don't think it is too farfetched to suggest that we will soon get better at higher quality and more engaging online learning experiences as both presenters and learners become more knowledgeable and comfortable about how to make the most of the experience.
As Terry notes, some individuals may strongly prefer a robust community component while others may seek information presented in more compelling ways. The bottom line always will be providing content that meets members' needs in a variety of interesting formats and that is well presented.
Posted by: Jeffrey Cufaude | March 5, 2012 9:11 PM
Sal Khan's approach is causing some schools to reevaluate the traditional model of holding group lectures in class and assigning practice for homework. Instead, they are trying the reverse: making Khan's videos the homework assignment (which allows the student to stop and replay the explanation until they grasp the concept) and using class time for practice (which then lets the students ask for help and allows the teacher to clarify understanding).
The other unique aspect of his videos is that they focus on the concept, not the presenter. You don't see Khan onscreen, so it's like having someone over your shoulder doing the explanation. This is arguably a more "personal" experience than one would get sitting in the back row of a 300-person lecture hall.
Posted by: Mark Milroy | March 8, 2012 11:09 AM
Jeffrey nailed it: nobody learns if the delivery is unsuccessful, whether that delivery is the mode (online or classroom) or -- most importantly, as Terry notes -- the instructor/facilitator isn't as effective as he or she should be.
Associations and non-profits haven't yet matured in their adaptation of online learning, yet we're somehow comparing elearning reactions and outcomes to those of classroom training -- which we have much more experience with.
Given the amount of moaning and groaning we've heard about the ineffectiveness of classroom/conference educational sessions, we shouldn't be so quick to point out the weaknesses in online learning.
There's much to be done across the board -- including providing needed instructional design and facilitation training to our volunteer session leaders, whether they be contributing to a face-to-face session or one online.
Posted by: Ellen Behrens | March 11, 2012 3:48 PM