A live webinar presentation for the OER0 conference, which ended up being fully online due to COVID19. Delivered 1/4/20 See http://tinyurl.com/ODLmodel for the related online conversation and feedback.

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Sarah Lambert
CRADLE, Deakin University
Six critical dimensions
for widening online
participation: a
conceptual model
Twitter @SarahLambertOz
Feedback/input via
https://tinyurl.com/ODLmodel
#OER20 Conference 1/4/20

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Where is the theory
of online learning
that includes
non-privileged
learners?
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Published in AJET – Special Issue Digital Equity
3
Lambert, Sarah R., (2020). Do MOOCs contribute to
student equity and social inclusion? A systematic
review 2014–18. Computers and Education, Vol 145.
(NOTE: available online now, gold open access.)

4. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Published in AJET – Special Issue Digital Equity
4
Lambert, Sarah R., (2020). Do MOOCs contribute to
student equity and social inclusion? A systematic
review 2014–18. Computers and Education, Vol 145.
(NOTE: available online now, gold open access.)
New model - insight into
how the six dimensions
interact to
enable/constrain diverse
learners (distance and
blended)

5. 1. Existing model: 5
critical dimensions*
2. Modify for
online learning: 6
critical
dimensions**
3. Identify cases,
systematic
review of studies
4. Qualitative
synthesis of successful
vs unsuccessful
designs
5. Dimensions
modified, with
revised
definitions
Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
In a nutshell: 5 steps to develop new model
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• Old model: DiMaggio and Hargittai (2001) identified “Five critical dimensions” of equitable online
participation: technology, autonomy, purpose, social support and skills.
** Lambert’s model (six critical dimensions): learning materials added to reflect educational settings.
Specific definitions developed to reflect widening participation research related to digital divides and equitable
online learning.

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6
CC-BY Sarah Lambert
V1 Dec 2019

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Models for online and blended learning do
not seem to reflect the experience of diverse
learners
• TD and CoI popular* but 40-50 years old
• primarily tested with post-grad learners in
relatively privileged global contexts
• update needed: contemporary online use;
experience of diverse undergrad and
foundation-level learners (widening
participation).
Why bother?
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* Bozkurt, A., Akgun-Ozbek, E., Yilmazel, S. et al (2015).
Trends in distance education research: A content
analysis of journals 2009-2013. IRRODL, 16(1).

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• See collaborative worksheet at https://tinyurl.com/ODLmodel
• What kinds of conceptual models have you used in your ODL
research and/or practice?
• Why, what are they good for? Useful for diverse cohorts?
• Some specific qs if you have used TD theory or CoI model
recently?
• Interest in collaborating on Six Critical Dimensions research/prac
Audience feedback – What theories do you use?
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“In the TD model, learner difference is confined to the learner
autonomy dimension, which is limited in its conceptualisation of
diversity to independent versus dependent learners.
Studies to bring the model up to date with changes in contemporary
web-based learning environments had limitations in that they also
examined privileged groups of learners: experienced graduate
distance education learners enrolled in business or education courses
at North American universities (MacLeod, Swart, & Paul,2019; Paul,
Swart, Zhang, & MacLeod, 2015).
My concern with TD (Lambert, 2019)
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“However, the CoI model was not designed with the intention of
investigating online learning in a general sense; rather, it was
designed specifically to investigate the development of higher-order
learning and critical thinking skills through discussion-based
collaborative pedagogies (Kozan& Caskurlu,2018).
This is a very specific and different purpose to widening participation
of equity students in foundational undergraduate studies.”
My concern with CoI (Lambert, 2019)
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Context “concentrated towards courses at the
graduate level in the United States where the topic
of instruction is E-learning. There are many contexts
where the CoI survey still has not been tested.”
“CoI survey has largely been elaborated by a small
network of dedicated scholars… A future success
factor is to involve more scholars in order to
eliminate the risks of a mutual admiration society.”
Stenbom’s 2015 Systematic review of CoI survey: Lack of diversity
in authors and research participants?
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“Teachers and learners… are primarily conceptualised by their presence
(or absence),and as such are positioned as homogenous.”
Online learners aren’t homogenous: diverse socio-economic and cultural
backgrounds.
Teachers aren’t homogenous: some see and value diversity more than
others.
Problematic assumption that learners are homogenous
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“In addition, the logic of the model, which assumes that learner and
teacher presence are good, is not borne out by research into classist,
sexist and racist encounters in online environments, where non-privileged
learners can be bullied, intimidated and silenced by higher-status and
more confident learners (Funes & Mackness, 2018; Gorski, 2009).”
Couldn’t find research showing CoI model useful for investigating the
success of equity students.
Rare large-scale study with community college students (equity students)
in the USA – model not useful (Traver, Volchok, Bidjerano, & Shea, 2014).
Has CoI been used to explain success/non success of equity
students?
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• See collaborative worksheet at https://tinyurl.com/ODLmodel
• What studies of TD/CoI am I missing?
• Do the Six Critical Dimensions resonate with you? What might
be missing in the definitions?
• What other contexts might you use Six Critical Dimensions in
your design and research practice?
Audience Feedback: development encouraged
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• Support and international connections from
Global OER Graduate Network (GO-GN)
Acknowledgement
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Editors:
Sarah Lambert and Laura Czerniewicz
Virtual launch party: early June tbc!
Social justice as academic publishing practice
11 beautiful papers in production!
JIME: Open Education
and Social Justice
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https://jime.open.ac.uk/

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Lambert, S. R. (2019). Six critical dimensions: A model for widening participation in open, online and blended
programs. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 35(6), 161-182. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.5683
Lambert, Sarah R., (2020). Do MOOCs contribute to student equity and social inclusion? A systematic review 2014–
18. Computers and Education, Vol 145. (NOTE: available online now, gold open access.)
DiMaggio, P., & Hargittai, E. (2001). From the “Digital Divide” to “Digital Inequality”: Studying Internet use as
Penetration Increases. Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies, Princeton University, 15, 1–23.
Bozkurt, A., Akgun-Ozbek, E., Yilmazel, S., Erdogdu, E., Ucar, H., Guler, E., … Aydin, C. H. (2015). Trends in distance
education research: A content analysis of journals 2009-2013. The International Review of Research in Open and
Distributed Learning, 16(1). https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i1.1953
Stenbom, S. (2018). A systematic review of the Community of Inquiry survey. The Internet and Higher Education,
39(June), 22–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2018.06.001
Kozan, K., & Caskurlu, S. (2018). On the N th presence for the Community of Inquiry framework. Computers and
Education, 122(May 2017), 104–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.03.010
References
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Twitter @sarahlambertoz
http://australianopentextbooks.edu.au/
Stay in touch!
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Amartya Sen, The
Idea of Justice
2009
“We are moved by
remediable
injustices around us,
which we want to
eliminate.”
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Amartya Sen, The
Idea of Justice
2009
“inequalities and
subjugations from
which we suffer and
which we have good
reason to resent”
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