summary of summary of berge, z.l. (2000). components of the online classroom. in weiss, r.e.,...

Summary of Berge, Z.L. (2000). Components of the online classroom. In Weiss, R.E., Knowlton, D.S., & Speck B.W. (Eds.), Principles of effective teaching in the online classroom (p. 23-28). San Francisco:Jossey-Bass.

Summarized by Andrew Haley (Nov 2011)

with Editing and Additional Editorializing by

Dave Knowlton

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This slide show

This slide show combines two different things: (a) a summary (written by a graduate student) of a book chapter written by Zane Berge; (b) editing and commentary that Dave wrote into this slide show that may go beyond summary (or slightly change the summary) but that will help you think about why the ideas in Berge’s chapter matter to you as a designer of web-based instruction. Your documentation should absolutely reflect some of the ideas from this article. Therefore, you are urged to take notes that will help you apply the ideas.

Purposes of Web-Based Instruction

There are four approaches to web-based instruction: Computer-based instruction Informatics Publishing Conferencing

The following slides will discuss each approach.


Computer-based instruction (CBI)

pre-developed instruction (i.e., instruction written before the delivery of that instruction) used for one-student-to-one-computer rehearsal and practice.

Cons: Labor-intensive with high development costs and time

Pros: Lower delivery cost and higher consistency of information


Informatics

information delivery and acquisition in an online repository (e.g. a database of content). Could be text-based, video-based, sound, or images.

Cons: Often does not include strategies to promote learning; only has “delivery”

Pros: Easier to control quality of content


Publishing

learners and faculty use tools to publish content that becomes the basis of the course – published ideas are course content. (Using, for example, personal websites, Wikis, etc.)

Pros: easy to share information

Cons: harder to control quality of what is being published


Conferencing

Using the computer as a communication tool (e.g., discussion boards, chat, etc).

Pros: easy to share information and requires learners to be active

Cons: harder to control quality of what is being published; takes considerable time and effort for facilitator to create good communication among learners.


So what? Why should you care? You must begin envisioning what your course ultimately will “be like” as a learner experience. Without that envisioning, you can’t really think much about design. On the next slide, you’ll see a couple of questions that the previous purposes should raise in your mind. In thinking about your IT486 Design Project, how would you answer?


So what? Why should you care?

Do you envision your instruction being one learner at one computer (CBI or informatics)? Or, is there something more social (communication) to be included?

Do you envision the instruction being extremely content driven (informatics) with the learners “taking in”? Or, is there an element of learners’ active additions (publishing)?



You need both students taking content in without judgment of that content, but you also need learners generating a personal understanding. So, what is the balance between “taking in” content and the learner being active and/or publishing?

Component Selection Considerations

To best answer some of the questions on the previous slides, you must first determine answers to questions on the next few slides. Those questions include: How static should the material be? How detailed should the material be? How deep should the interaction be? Will instruction be synchronous or

asynchronous?

Static vs. Dynamic Subject Matter

Static information - information that is constant over many years Implication: Content-driven. Learners may

not have as much to add to the “content.”

Dynamic information - information that changes rapidly Implication: Learners may have more up-to-

date info than the course does; learner publishing and communication might be more valuable.

Dense vs. Transparent Content

Dense content – content that is “thick” with detailed concepts and principles and/or that has multiple steps

Implications: Students should have the ability to refer back to instruction; so, the media used should promote that type of review

Transparent content – content that is “thinner” and not very detailed

Implication: video and audio might be useful, even though they are difficult to review

Implication: Publishing and conferencing approaches might be useful.

Content Interaction vs. People Interaction

Four patterns of interaction exist within instruction that designers of web-based instruction can take advantage of. The separation of time and place does not need to interfere with any of these four.As you consider each of the four pattern designs, ask yourself: Which of these four types of interaction might be most appropriate given your course content, intended learners, etc?

Learner/content: Forces learners to interact with the course content through various types of elaboration, summarizing, exercise completion, etc.



Learner/instructor: Forces learners to interact with the course facilitator, instructor, or subject-matter expert



Learner/learner: Forces learners to interact with each other and thus every learner becomes a type of teacher in the web-based learning experience



Learner/self: Forces learners to interact with themselves by looking at their own mental models of course content


If you just believe that your project best allows learners to interact with the content (i.e., learner/content or learner/self interactions), then CBI or an Informatics approach probably makes more sense.If, however, you believe that learners must interact with others (i.e., learner/learner or learner/instructor), then you need a heavier emphasis on publishing or communicating.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Delivery

Synchronous – in time (e.g., interactive television, chat, video conferencing) Implications: time efficient, improved group

cohesion, quick feedback and decision making, more motivating, better structure for assignments.

Dave’s Note: The above implications are according to Berge. Dave does not agree that synchronous provides better structure or is more motivating


Asynchronous – out of time (e.g., email, blackboard discussion boards) Implications: Flexibility, allows reflection on

material, better able to apply content to real-world.

Dave’s Note: Because of “reflection” opportunities and the ability to apply content to real-world, Dave much prefers the asynchronous approach. Both Dave & Berge think that asynchronous is a better approach, though some elements of synchronous might be useful within your project.



Given your content, the types of learners you have, and the overall purposes of your instruction, what is the best balance of synchronous and asynchronous?



If you really believe that synchronous approaches that emphasize “publishing” and “communication” are better, then it begs a question: What exactly is it that you are designing?

Conclusions

The purpose of this slide show has not been to provide you with the “correct” answers. Instead, this slide show should have served its purpose of putting in your mind some questions that you’ll have to answer and the implications of those answers.

Did you learn?

Can you answer each of the following using the notes that you took during this slideshow?

What are the four broad approaches to web-based instruction? What are the implications for your project of each approach?

What are the four questions about “components” that you must answer to decide on the best broad approach for you? How do the answers matter to your decision making?

What are the four possible patterns of interaction within web-based instruction? Why do they matter?

Which is more useful for you: synchronous or asynchronous?

Did you learn?

If you can answer the questions listed on the previous slide, then perhaps you are ready to hit “Esc” or navigate away from this slideshow. If, however, you struggled to answer those questions, then you might do well to go back to the start of this slide show and spend more time reading and taking functional notes that will help you with decision making.

summary of summary of berge, z.l. (2000). components of the online classroom. in weiss, r.e.,...

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