Digital student experience: Online Learners update, Helen Beetham and Lou McGill 23 June 2016

1. Digital student experience:
Online Learners update Helen Beetham, Lou McGill

2. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
Rationale for the study
› Fourth study in the Digital Student program
› Following on studies into HE, FE and Skills
› Builds on Scaling Up Online Learning
› Many providers are moving into this area:
–in HE especially CPD/postgrad courses
–in FE especially as an online element of
all taught courses (FELTAG)

3. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
Defining online learners
› For the purposes of this study, online learning is
defined as all of:
–exclusively online courses of study, conducted away
from any physical campus (e.g. home or work based);
–courses delivered largely online, or with online
elements to support a variety of access needs and
attendance patterns;
–online learning as independent study time within
courses that are mainly delivered traditionally (on
campus, face-to-face)

4. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
What are the consequences of using
such a broad definition?

5. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
What are the consequences of using
such a broad definition?
› ‘Most learners in post-compulsory settings will experience some
online component to their learning, formal or informal, and as
they move into lifelong learning/professional development this
component will form a larger proportion of their study time.’
› ‘Online learners are not, then,
a distinct group of learners:
they are post-compulsory
learners in particular
settings, and with
particular preferences,
challenges and needs.’

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Methods
› Expert working group
› Literature review
› Consultation with online learners and staff who work
with them #OLsuccess
› Synthesis of findings and reporting
› Looking to use the same approaches as earlier studies
and reuse/repurpose some of the same outcomes e.g.
benchmarking tool, Tracker, SUOL toolkit

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Literature review
› Search terms:
› online_learning, online_learners, MOOC, open_learning, virtual_learning,
networked_learning
› (plus) learner: experience, engagement, satisfaction, motivation, identity/
identities, progression, development, perception, voice
› (focused searches for specific issues recommended by working group):
disability, access, accessibility, inclusion, induction, preparation, self-
efficacy, self-regulation, readiness
› Criteria for selection:
› Recency (post 2012 unless particularly relevant or frequently cited)
› Involvement of learners, especially via large-scale surveys and/or detailed
qualitative work
› Focus on the learning experience, rather than teaching, course design, or
organisational issues

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Overview of the literature
› Factor analysis: factors influencing the outcomes of online learning
– learner-related factors (dispositions, experiences, capabilities)
– environmental factors (digital environment, spaces and places of
learning)
– factors in course design and delivery (induction, content and media,
activities, assessments, teacher ‘presence’, role of tutor/peers etc)
› Comparative: contrasting online and offline learning activities or courses
› Case studies: usually course-centred
› Qualitative and mixed-method
– including participative and learner-centred studies
– including attitudinal and affective issues
› Learner surveys:
– including development of assessment instruments
› Synthesis studies and literature reviews

9. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
Overview of the literature
Dominant themes and approaches
› self-regulated learning, self-efficacy
readiness to learn online (scales)
› affective issues especially social presence/distance,
collaborative learning
› large-scale questionnaires, (coming in) use of analytics
and system data
› lack of consensus on key issues e.g. collaborative
learning, intrinsic dispositions vs. educational ‘capital’,
retention, role of induction, open vs structured

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Focus on success
› What makes for success in learning online?
1.What are successful online learners like?
2.What do successful online learners do?
3.How do successful online learners feel?
4.What differences among online learners make a
difference to their success?
5.How can providers help online learners to succeed?

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Headline findings
1. What are successful online learners like?
› Experienced, successful learners (especially online!)
› Motivated, resilient and persistent
› Autonomous, self-efficacious, self-regulating
› Curious and inquiring
› Well prepared and well organised
› Digitally capable (ICT proficient)
› Trusting - willing to share and expose to learn
› (At least 10%) likely to have a disability

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Headline findings
2. What do successful online learners do?
› Engage in the right learning in the first place!
(freedom, choice, motive: signposting, advice)
› Set goals, make and monitor plans
› View and review a wide range of course-related content
› Be pro-active in: information finding; help-seeking; initiating
communications
› Manage time and attention
› Focus on own motivations and progress
› Integrate personal with course technologies and media
› Interact, collaborate and share with other learners (?? contradictory
findings e.g. for some learners individual focus more successful)
›

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Headline findings
3. How do successful online learners feel?
› Successful online learners enjoy learning - even when it is
challenging (fun, motive, curious, self-development, internal LOC)
› Successful online learners experience empathy and care - even in
situations of low social/emotional presence (implied from research)
› Successful online learners manage complex feelings about
working with others (implied from research)
› Successful learners manage anxiety and frustration e.g. with
technology (implied from research)

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Headline findings
4. What differences between online learners matter to
their success?
› (Controversial) disposition, self-efficacy, self-regulation
› Educational background, experiences and capital: previous success
› ICT confidence and capability
› Other demands on time, especially older adult learners
› Access needs and disabilities
› (In a few studies) age, gender, culture?

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Headline findings
5. How can providers support online learners’
success?
› Prepare online learners to study online - norms, practices,
expectations, good study habits, functional access
› Enable learners to use their own devices, services and skills
› Support access to rich and diverse learning content
› Provide a digital environment that is secure, accessible, social and
personalisable: open (for some learners)
› Consider learners’ different motivations, interests, learning histories
and digital resources
› Address the barriers to success we have identified for specific
groups of learners

16. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
Please help us frame these questions...
› ... so we can consult with online learners!

17. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
#OLsuccess bit.ly/OLsuccess
July 4-10 2016

18. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
#OLsuccess bit.ly/OLsuccess
July 4-10 2016
› A week to find out more about successful online
learners with
› a dedicated discussion forum
› quick polls
› a daily focus question and blog post
› rolling twitter discussion
› presence at live events (Academic Practice with Technology...)
› DS106 activity and other creative reflections
› summaries on storify
› ... what else?

19. 09/07/15 Building digital capability
#OLsuccess bit.ly/OLsuccess
your ideas please!
› How can we reach online learners?
› What else should we be doing?

20. jisc.ac.uk
22/0 Student digital experience tracker pilot results 2016
»For more
information contact
Sarah Knight: sarah.knight@jisc.ac.uk
22/06 Student digital experience tracker pilot results 2016 34
Lou McGill: lou.mcgill@gmail.com
Helen Beetham: helen.beetham@gmail.com