I'm only just ready!!

[GraphDesProject]

That these surveys try to outline the expectations of an online course is very positive, but I think the written feedback could be clearer or less boring (??). I did San Diego and though according to them I was ready to go it still gave me a long list of things I should be prepared for, which kind of lokked as if everyone would get this. And with Houston I was quite surprised to be only just within the ready to go category. Their traffic light visual was quite clear and showed me how far down the line I was in a very graphic fashion! I think my totally unreasonable fear of downloading software impacted on my score! Because the surveys are point scored they can’t talk to you on a personal level so its quite generic. However, getting expectations clear at the start is really important and I think these would flag up to someone “unready”  that they might not be in for the experience that they think they are. Are these surveys more about preparing the instituion for legal trouble, or about preparing the learner for the hazards?

Sancha (@GraphDesProject)

[SueFolley]

Yes I agree these questionnaires need to be used with caution. I think they are positive in making the learner consider their expectations about what they get with an online course, and of course checking they have access to a computer and the internet etc (a bit of a deal breaker if this is not the case). However I think they could also put people off in the way you stated. It maybe that one person does not know how to manage files or attach something to an email – but that could be taught very quickly, so should not be a deterrent to taking an online course. In the same way we all are guilty of procrastination and all wish we were more organised, but it does not mean that we would not do well in an online course. On the whole I think they are good at making people more aware of what they are signing up for, but should be used with caution and maybe followed up with offers of support or encouragement.

[MelissaBailey]

Out of the 3 surveys I accessed, (Penn State, San Diego, U of H) I found the U of H most effective.  The preamble put the whole idea of being a ‘Learner’ in a context and the areas of competence was clear – ‘Computer Skills’, ‘Independenct Learning’, ‘Dependent Learning’ etc.

In my experience of teaching online for the Open University (mostly with groups of students from Continental Europe), there is a need for a more integrated approach ie online surveys need to feed into the learning experience in a positive and more integrated ways.  At the OU we provide different kinds of support for Online distance learning students: students have a tutor who generally is an academic expert; they have access to the computing helpdesk for support with technical difficulties; there is additional support available for students who have various identified needs such as visual difficulties or mental health problems.  

However, in my work as a tutor, it was often unclear whether a student failed to achieve their potential because of poor academic skills, poor organisational skills/external pressures or because their computing skills were too basic to access everything which was on offer.  So whilst these surveys aare a useful first point of call for the student to self-assess, what is needed is more integration of this kind of survey and self-assessment  in the online courses themselves so that the information which is being gathered can feed into the learning and teaching process.

 

 

[RElliott]

I thought they were useful to get people to think about what it will be like studying alone and on line.  However i felt they were rather depressing and simplistic.  Some of the points about skills could be linked to resources to help people improve these skills and then return to the survey and re-take the test.  The answers could be useful for assessing barriers to learning for a particular course if people entered the course they we’re interested in taking.  I agree with the above, they should be part of the process and could be used a lot more effectively for the teaching and learning teams.

[ElizabethECharl]

Sue,I totally agree that the questionnaires should be a point  on a continnum that identifies gaps in skills that may be necessary and having identified these gaps should in an integrated manner take the learner to support material or training to fill the gaps; and then return them to the questionnaire.   As just one element in a support package of testing the readiness of the learner I think the questionnaire works well, on its own it is as effective as the learner’s ability to understand how critical certain questions and their answers may be in determining their abilit to naviagate the online learning mode of study.

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