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An Ecological Model of Learner Support for

Tertiary Online Education

Wang TongBeijing Foreign Studies University

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Outline

1. Research background2. Research design & findings3. An ecological learner support model

for tertiary online education4. Pilot results5. Future directions

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Part 1

Research Background

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1.1 Tensions in learner support system design

Two empirical studies (national survey 2004, institutional survey 2005) High institutional expectations vs. lo

w uptake of support provisions Learner support as a specific compon

ent vs. as a quality to whole organisation (learner support vs. Learner Support)

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1.2 Student retention

Retention is a key issue to distance/online education.

Key models of student retention

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Some examples Athabasca University

75% non-completion rate Korean National Open University

90% dropout rate Indonesian Open Learning University

95% dropout rate The Open University of the UK

non-completion rates between 25% and 50% The Open University of Hong Kong

examination non-attendance about 30% BeiwaiOnline

35% non-completion rate

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Tinto’s model for dropout from college (1975)

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Bajtelsmit's model for dropout from distance education (1988)

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Kember’s model for dropout from distance education (1995)

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1.3 Questions to answer

Why do students leave an elearning system?

What factors influence students’ uptake of support provisions?

“Who is the learner?” (Tait 2003) “What is the realistic understanding of

what it is the learners actually do?” (Goodyear, 1997)

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Part 2

Research design and findings

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2.1 Research design

Qualitative and quantitative Approach: bottom-up perspective,

longitudinal study (a full term) A new tool designed: student diary

which can track students’ learning activities at minute level

Two pilots and the main study 2005-2007

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Participants

Sub-group Number Male Female Age Score

High achieving 8 3 5 31.3 82.5

Average achieving 20 7 13 31.1 72.0

Low achieving 4 3 1 40.7 45.1

Whole group 32 13 19 32.4 71.3

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Data collected

Data collection method

Total

Learner diary 257 (8 submissions per student on the average)

Focus group interview

3 (at the start and in the middle of the project)

One-on-one interview

13 (at the end of the project)

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2.2 Findings

Time use Time management Uptake of support provisions Frustration and pleasure Strategies in use

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1) Daily use of time (whole)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23hour of day

prop

orti

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f st

udy

time

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1) Daily use of time (sub-group)

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0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23hour of day

prop

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f st

udy

time

hi gh achi ever average achi ever l ow achi ever

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2) Weekly use of time (group)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Fr i day

Saturday

Sunday

day

of w

eek

proport i on of i nvested study t i me

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2) Weekly study time (individual)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

12 29 18 1 23 26 9 2 5 28 24 13 8 30 27 25 32 16 20 10 31 7 15 6 21 17 19 3 14 4 22 11part i ci pant

week

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tudy

hou

rs

i ndi vi dual parti ci pant group mean

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3) Typology of time use

“non-work-time”pattern “work-time only” pattern “mixed time” pattern

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Non-work-time pattern

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23hour of day

prop

orti

on o

f st

udy

time

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Work-time only pattern

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23hour of day

prop

orti

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f st

udy

time

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Mixed-time pattern

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23hour of day

prop

orti

on o

f st

udy

time

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4) Time management

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4) Time management

“could find much time for study” (M=2.9) (no statistical difference among groups) (low achievers did the best)

“could manage time well” (M=2.7) (statistical difference between high and average groups) (high achievers did the best)

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Self-reported time management strategies

1. using bits of time for learning2. using leisure time for learning3. having a study plan4. exercising self-control

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Self-reported problems in time management

1. conflict with work2. personal state3. failure in implementing study plan4. conflict with family5. lack of metacognitive strategy6. conflict with other learning commitments7. low language competence level8. poor self control9. unexpected happening

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5) Utilisation of support provisions

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

textbookother

coursewaretutor

radi o/ tvtape/mp3

pl atform resourcesyncronous vob

peerforum

CD-ROM

supp

ort

reso

urce

s

proporti on of i nvested study t i me

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5) Use of online provisions

Synchronous The e-learners only utilised 39 minutes

out of the 630-minute online provisions per week.

Asynchronous The online forums received still worse

student attention. Among the 42 forums provided by BeiwaiOnline, students only spent 18 minutes per week to browse them.

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5) Patterns of provision utilisation

Students tend to use more offline provisions. As Goodyear (1999, p5) vividly put, “no

matter how breathtaking the multimedia or how pure the instructional design, computer-based learning resources will not be used (other than at the margins) unless (a) their use is mandatory, or (b) successful completion of an assessed task requires their use.”

More framing effects than enabling effects Learners tend to study alone.

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6) Frustration in elearning

Dimension of analysis Number of references

Cognitive 55

Metacognitive 47

Learner personal situation

38

Affective & Social 11

Technical incompetence 7

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6) Pleasure in elearning

Dimension of analysis Number of references

Cognitive 84

Metacognitive 39

Affective and social 35

Learner personal situation 7

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7) Self-reported strategies in use

Node Number of references

No awareness of strategy 2

Awareness of the ineffective use of strategy

33

Self-reported metacognitive strategy in use

42

Self-reported cognitive strategy in use

109

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7) Self-reported affective & social strategies

Loneliness It is positive. It is a feeling to be avoided.

Loneliness Not feeling lonely (103 references) Feeling lonely (45 references)

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2.3 Gap between learner ecologies & institutional

expectations1. Time use & management

e-learners invest a lot of time in English study

Gap between reality and design

System approach vs. ecological approach in learner support design

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2. Uptake of support provisions Critical review of all sub-systems within a

n elearning framework Online technologies frame and enable e-l

earners Mobile technologies needed

UKOU NKI The India Gandhi National Open

University

2.3 Gap between learner ecologies & institutional

expectations

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3. Strategy-based training Both a goal and a process A deep approach: should be

embedded in curriculum design, resources development, assessment design, learner support.

2.3 Gap between learner ecologies & institutional

expectations

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Part 3 An ecological learner

support model for tertiary online education

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Key features of the model

1. learning-process-based2. Learner-ecologies-driven3. Interdependency analysis between framing

and enabling effects4. Multiple human roles

Core roles: administrator, administration staff, counselors, tutors

Supplementary roles: roles in other sub-systems

5. Four-layer loop for continuous review and improvement

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Key features of the model

The model delivers identity (Thorpe), adaptability in scaffolding (Maclaughlin), and proactivity (Moore).

Learner-system interactive dynamism and system sensitivity to learner ecologies are the essence of the model.

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Part 4

Pilot Results

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Intervention results in student retention at BeiwaiOnline

Year of enrolment Reduced dropout rate within 2006

2004 autumn 6%

2005 spring 8%

2005 autumn 8%

2006 spring 2%

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Part 5

Future Directions

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Future directions

More research into learner ecologies More research into learner-system inter

actions More research from ecological perspect

ive More research into learner support as a

quality to whole organisation

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Summary

1. Research background2. Research design & findings3. An ecological learner support model

for tertiary online education4. Pilot results5. Future directions

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Thank you!

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Questions are welcome!