I completed the online learning questionnaires for Penn State, San Diego, and Illinois. I found they sought to assess the following common areas:
- technical skills
- commitment
- willingness to participate
- availability
- preferred mode of delivery
I think such questionnaires serve a purpose, because they help people decide whether online learning is right for them. I feel they also help manage expectations. For example, by making it clear that online learning is not a comparitively ‘easy option’.
I beleive they assess a learner’s readiness by finding out if an individual has sufficient time available to complete the course effectively. Also, by giving feedback on areas where more preparation is required (e.g. technical skills), the questionnaires prompt learners to undertake preparatory work in order to bring them up to the entry level desired.
At present, I don’t anticipate developing an online course for students. I am engaged in the preparation of ‘pick and mix’ online learning objects, but I don’t think an online learning questionnaire would be necessary in order to assess learners prior to carrying out such activities.
