Lifelong Learning in an Online

Environment

Undergraduate College Students Develop Lifelong

Learning Skills

by

Sheila Ellenberger

Nova Southeastern University

ITDE Cluster 7

The Setting Midwestern Liberal Arts College Rural Setting 1,500 Undergraduates

– Traditionally-aged students– Residential

Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Study

Education, Business & Psychology

The Problem College is slow to move into

Information Age No fully online courses available No administrative support to license

course management tools Some Faculty using free online course

management tools Little training available

First Year Seminar Academic orientation for incoming

students Instructors disseminate campus

information and events Instructors use common syllabus and

assignments Instructional design lacks intentional

emphasis on lifelong learning skills

Solution Strategy for FYS Blackboard as online course

management tool Common assignments built on lifelong

learning skills– Information access– Communication – Quantitative reasoning– Higher level thinking

Solution Strategy for FYS Assignments rooted in problem-based

learning– Identify and explore theme-relevant topic

individually– Teamwork through Blackboard’s BBS– Collaborative development of Webpage

posted on Blackboard

The Participants 5 sections of FYS

– 61 students– 6 instructors– 7 student mentors

Blackboard Training Instructors Student mentors Students

– Some by instructors– Some by student mentors

Data collection Blackboard artifacts

– Announcements– Asynchronous discussions– Synchronous discussions

Survey: ILLL, LLLS & CLLL*– All first year students (pre-test)– 5 participating groups (post-test)

*Interest in Life Long Learning, Life Long Learning Survey, & Capacity for Lifelong Learning

Blackboard Results All 5 groups used Blackboard for:

Announcements Asynchronous and synchronous discussions

All 6 instructors used Blackboard for: Posting announcements Posting assignments Communicating to the group electronically

Pre-Test Results 304 students from 32 sections Interest in Lifelong Learning

– M=8.25 (10 pt. Scale), SD=1.24– Topics:

18% study/learning skills 13% skills for lifelong learning 12% lifelong learning topics 11% communication skills 11% working with others

Pre-Test Results Capacity for Life Long Learning Index

– 11 lifelong learning capabilities– 4 pt. Scale– 6 of 11 means >3.0– Highest means

Getting along with different types of people Functioning as a team member

– Lowest means Solving quantitative problems Understanding recent developments in science and

technology

Pre-Test Results Life Long Learning Survey

– Students rate skill, interest, motivation and importance for 4 lifelong learning skills

– Communication Highest in skill, interest, motivation, importance

– Importance ratings Information Management Higher Level Thinking Quantitative Reasoning

Pre-test Results Concurrent Validity

– Correlations between CLLL & LLLSSignificant positive correlations:

–From .41 (CLLL & interest) to .49 (CLLL & skill)

Post-test Results 42 subjects from 5 participating sections

– 29 matches No significant differences in:

– Interest in lifelong learning– CLLL– LLLS

Possible Causes:– Ceiling Effect– State vs. Trait

Roadblocks & Unanticipated Outcomes

Faculty Participation Delay due to Human Subjects

Research Committee Participation of student mentors Involvement of student intern New Programs

Questions? Comments?