ONLINE LEARNING REVEALING

THE BENEFITS AND

CHALLENGES
Brittany Gilbert 1
M.S. Special Education
School of education, St. John Fisher College,
Rochester New York
DOMINIQUE LOUISE L. SOLIS
MAED-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE
LEARNING GOALS:
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH
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CRITIQUE OF CHOSEN RESEARCH PAPER

RESEARCH CONCEPTS

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INTRODUCTION DATA ANALYSIS

 RESULTS
LITERATURE REVIEW
 ADVANTAGES CONCLUSION AND FUTURE STUDY
 FACTORS FOR SUCCESS
 FEEDBACK
 DRAWBACKS
 GIFTED STUDENTS
 DISABILITY

DISCUSSION
 CONTEXT
 DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION
 PARTICIPANT POPULATION
 RESEARCHER STANCE
 METHOD

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INTRODUCTION:
 The expansive nature of the Internet and the accessibility of technology have generated a
surge in the demand for web based teaching and learning (Chaney, 2010).
 Distance learning is a rapidly expanding environment which allows users the flexibility of
operating outside of the constraints of time and place (Chaney, 2010).
 Online learning can be defined as “learning that takes place partially or entirely over the
Internet” (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

Online education is quickly infiltrating into school districts and colleges across
the nation. This paper explores whether high school students could benefit from
online courses and examines the potential challenges and drawbacks of online
coursework. This paper raises questions about how to best support high school
students enrolled in an online course.

NO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS STATED

NO SPECIFIC DATA PRESENTED
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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

Specifically the research is ought to answer:
1. What are the benefits does online courses offer?
2. What are the differences between online learning from traditional classroom
settings?
3. How does these online courses help learners with their future?

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HYPOTHESIS:
NO HYPOTHESIS STATED!

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LITERATURE REVIEW:
 Online learning environments can be categorized into three central groups,
fully web based, blended or hybrid format, and traditional courses using web
based supplements.
 Fully web based courses are conducted entirely on the Internet with no face to face
interaction, all aspects of the course being conducted in an online learning environment.
 Hybrid courses consist of both web based and classroom sessions, with a varying degree
of time allotted to the online and in class sessions, depending upon the nature of the class
and discretion of the instructor.
 The last programming format uses online technology as a medium for presenting
supplemental material for traditional classroom study.

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LITERATURE REVIEW:
 The Office of Educational Technology in the U.S. Department of Education conducted the
“Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students” survey
in 2002-03 school year.
 “Courses that are credit-granting, technology delivered, have either the instructor in a
different location than the students and/or have the course content developed in, or delivered
from, a different location than that of the students” (Institute of Educational Sciences, 2014).
 The findings revealed that approximately one-third or 5,500 out of a total of 15,040 public
school districts had at least one student enrolled in a distance learning course during the
2002-03 school year (Setzer & Lewis, 2005).

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LITERATURE REVIEW: ADVANTAGES

 Online courses have been found to be conducive to students who favor self-regulated
learning (You & Kang, 2014).
 “It is more self-guided so I can spend more time on the concepts that I need help with and
less on concepts that I can pick up quickly” (Kirtman, 2009, p. 110).
 Self-regulated learners have a tendency to use various “cognitive and metacognitive
strategies to accomplish their learning goal” (You & Kang, 2014, p. 126).
 “I don’t miss the huge vistas of wasted time that inevitably become a reality in a face-to-
face school context” and further explaining that “No schedule restricts us... We meet and
stay as long as needed in the virtual space” (Thomson, 2010, p. 36).

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LITERATURE REVIEW: ADVANTAGES

 One type of online environment can be referred to as “interactive learning
online” (ILO).

 ILO refers “to highly sophisticated, interactive online courses in which

machine-guided instruction can substitute for some (though not usually all)
traditional, face-to-face instruction” (Bowen, et al., 2014, p. 97).

 Online courses have the potential to open the pathways for more opportunities
for students in “small, rural, or low socioeconomic school districts” (Chaney,
2001, p. 21) to take courses that generally would not be offered.
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LITERATURE REVIEW: FACTORS FOR SUCCESS

 Interaction and communication have been identified as key factors in the
success of an online course, leading to enhanced student satisfaction and
motivation.
 Interaction can take place in three central areas (Savenye, 2005):
 interaction between the learner and the instructor- Online instructors can orchestrate
the class environment to increase the interaction between the learner and the instructor
 the learner and other learners- through both synchronous and asynchronous interactions
 the learner and the content- the most common type of interaction that occurs in online
settings, through lectures and readings

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LITERATURE REVIEW: FEEDBACK

 “I conduct my courses as extended individual e-mail conversations between me and
each student, and I found that it was a more vital and real process than I had
assumed it would be” (Thomson, 2010, p. 33).
 Responding to students promptly is yet another important aspect of communication.
Instructors and students alike expressed the importance of prompt and supportive
feedback when working to “establish a rapport of trust and level of comfort”
(Thomson, 2010).
 The more personal one-to-one emails were found to be useful when used in
conjunction with mass class emails to target reoccurring questions, interact with the
quieter students, and to build “a sense of the course as a dynamic shared enterprise”
(Thomson, 2010, p. 704).

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LITERATURE REVIEW: FEEDBACK

 The impact of peer interaction on community building is a reoccurring
theme in the literature discussing online learning environments.
 “I believe there is a difference because when in class you get the benefit
of learning a lot more from your peers” (Kirtman 2009, p. 110).

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LITERATURE REVIEW: DRAWBACK

 Academic rigor
 or lack thereof of an online course, it is critically important to recognize the diverse varieties of formats
that online education can be delivered in, the multitude of subjects online courses can teach, and the ever-
growing population of students.
 The ‘no significant difference’ phenomenon developed by Thomas Russell, determined that
the delivery medium, such as technology versus face-to-face classroom settings, does not
make a difference in learning outcomes.
 Development of community and peer interaction in a traditional classroom setting
compared to an online learning environment.
 “Online students feel a weaker sense of connectedness and belonging than on campus
students who attend face-to-face classes,” (Rovai et al., 2005, p.4).
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LITERATURE REVIEW: DRAWBACK

 Cultural restrictions
 “have” versus “have nots”
 “Familiarity with technology can bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, the
experienced and the unworldly” (Chaney, 2001, p. 28).
 Maintaining motivation
 Students who lacked independence and self-motivation overall had lower success rates than
their counterparts (Savenye, 2005).
 “Successful students tend to have stronger beliefs they will succeed, higher self-
responsibility, higher self-organization skills, and better technology skills and access”
(Savenye, 2005, p. 2).
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LITERATURE REVIEW: GIFTED STUDENTS

 According to the National Institute for Gifted Children, “some gifted children with
exceptional aptitude may not demonstrate outstanding levels of achievement due to
environment circumstances such as limited opportunities to learn as a result of poverty,
discrimination, or cultural barriers” (National Association for Gifted Children).
 “Taken together, these finding suggest that regular classroom instruction, which often
emphasizes high-auditory memory skills, structure, fact learning, and peer collaboration,
may not be ideal for some gifted learners who are highly tactual, conceptual, open/flexible,
and independent learners” (Thomson, 2010, p. 665).

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LITERATURE REVIEW: DISABILITY

 A study revealed that in 2007-2008, 11 percent of undergraduates and 8 percent of graduate
students reported having some form of disability.
 Online courses present “workable alternatives to a variety of potential learners, including
school-phobics, people in hospitals or at home due to illness and injury, dropouts who want
to go back to school, expelled students, single parents, and students in other states or
countries” (Chaney, 2001, p. 22) searching for nontraditional educational settings that offer
a means around difficult barriers faced by traditional settings.
 “Designed correctly, distance education 17 ONLINE LEARNING options create learning
opportunities for everyone. Designed poorly, they erect barriers to equal participation in
academics and careers” (Oswal & Meloncon, 2014, p. 294).

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DISCUSSION:
 The initiative to increase technology in public schools across the United States
has ultimately led to a heightened accessibility for students to access online
courses in a multitude of subjects.
 In order to maintain a competitive edge, students are taking college level
courses during their high school years.
 Non-random sampling
 Eight (8) students in two separate online American II courses ages 16 and 17, general
education students
 The results of this study illustrate that while each student is unique in their
approach to online learning, there were commonalities amongst the students’
response which leads to common characteristics of effective learners. 23
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DISCUSSION:
 Insight to the benefits and drawbacks of the online learning
environment. While the results were inconclusive as to what aspects of
the course were benefits and what aspects were drawbacks.
 The data provides information to help support the decision making
process of high school students who are deciding if an online learning
environment is suitable to their educational needs.

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DISCUSSION
CONTEXT:
 This study took place in two United States History and Government classrooms
 The students were enrolled in the course to obtain duel credit, for both college and high
school Regents credit.
 These two classes are in the same school, taught by the same professor through the online
course, and facilitated by the same high school social studies teacher.
 Time was split evenly between working with and observing the two classes.
 Each class received the same course work, consisting of discussions, assignments, and
quizzes.
 Both classes of students also worked within the same constraints of due dates.
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DISCUSSION
DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION:
 Utilizing an online surveying software called “Qualtrics,” an anonymous survey was
sent to the eight students enrolled in the course at a rural K-12 school in western
New York; after reception of approval from the Instructional Review Board.
 “Qualtrics” was ideal to collect responses in a quick and efficient manner. The
students were able to submit their responses electronically, via a smartphone, tablet,
or a computer at a time that was convenient for them. The accessibility of the online
survey provided for all eight recipients of the survey to respond to the questions
provided.

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DISCUSSION
PARTICIPANT POPULATION:
 All of the students enrolled in the American History II course were sent an e-mail with an
explanation of the research and a request to complete and anonymous survey through
“Qualtrics.”
 Out of the eight recipients of the survey, all eight sent back a fully completed survey. The
survey closed once all of the recipients had responded. Participants’ identities will remain
anonymous in this survey and will be referred to as Participant A, Participant B, and so
on.
RESEACHER STANCE:
 Observer and Interviewer
 Eight (8) week period
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DISCUSSION
METHOD:
 This study was designed to analyze the benefits and drawbacks of online learning
and determine if there are strategies that make students more successful in an online
learning environment.
 Data was found in this study through a questionnaire that was distributed to the
students enrolled in the course.
 The students were sent an anonymous survey that asked open ended questions
pertaining to the online course work, environment, and structure of the course in
terms of benefits, drawbacks and strategies to use when working in an online
environment.

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DATA ANALYSIS:
RESULTS:
 In response to an open ended question about the overall benefits of online learning, the majority of students
reported that the course allows for students to work at their own pace within a given week.
 The course still placed time restraints on the students, in terms of deadlines for assignments, although the
majority of students seemed to be partial to the flexibility of completing work in a time and place that was
best suited for their learning.
 Student H stated, “I like being able to move at my own pace through the course work. If I understand a topic
I can move on and if I don’t understand the topic I can spend more time on it.”
 Compared to traditional classroom settings, online course work requires and promotes the use of online
research and resources.
 The structure of online learning expanded the students’ use of technology and surpassed the technology used
in the students’ traditional classroom settings.
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DATA ANALYSIS:
RESULTS:
 “Good work ethic,” “time management,” “motivated,” “independent,” “responsible,” and
the ability to “see the overall objective of school”.
 Student E, “the benefits are being able to work at your own pace as long as you meet the
deadlines.” ; “meeting the deadlines takes time management skills and responsibility.”
 Blackboard is a learning management system used by the college and the professor to
deliver instructional material in an online format.
 Half of the respondents believed Blackboard to be an accessible and user friendly site, that
was relatively easy to navigate through.

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CONCLUSION AND FUTURE STUDY:

 Overall, the research indicates the benefits of online coursework outweighs the challenges
that students face.
 Analyzing various courses may offer a different insight as to the type of content that is
more suitable for an online learning environment.
 Overall, online learning environments allow for learning to occur in a setting that is not
restricted by place or time.
 Online learning has the ability to disassemble barriers that have been constructed by
poverty, location, disability, as well as other factors.

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STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

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STRENGTHS
IN THIS TIME OF NEW NORMAL, FOR RESEARCHERS WHO WANTS TO STUDY
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE LEARNING THIS RESEARCH WILL BE A GOOD
REFERENCE.

THE STUDY SHOWS THAT BECAUSE IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY

IN TODAYS GENERATION, EDUCATION ALSO REQUIRES TO BE MORE ADVANCE
TO PROVIDE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TO THE LEARNERS.

THE STUDY EMPHASIZES THE BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF ONLINE

COURSES AND GIVES ADVISES TO HAVE BETTER EXPERIENCE ON ONLINE
LEARNING
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WEAKNESSES
THE RESEARCHER USED SMALL SAMPLE POPULATION ON THIS STUDY THAT
MAKES THE RESULTS QUESTIONABLE.

THE SAMPLE POPULATION OF THE RESEARCHER WAS LIMITED TO ONE AREA IN

WHICH THE STUDENTS WERE ALL ENROLLED IN ONE SUBJECT WITH THE SAME
INSTRUCTOR.

THE STUDY WAS LACKED WITH THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ONLINE PROFESSORS
AND INSTRUCTORS.

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RESEARCH CONCEPTS

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ONLINE LEARNING: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES IN THE NEW

NORMAL

READINESS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO ONLINE LEARNING

TO THE NEW NORMAL

EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE LEARNING ON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS ENROLLED ON STEM TRACK

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PROPOSED STATEMENT OF
THE PROBLEM
The research is aimed to determine the effectiveness of online learning, its benefits and challenges to the new
normal. Especially to senior high school students who are enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics track. Also, the research shall include the views and perspective of professors or instructors
teaching online.
Specifically the study is ought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the benefits and challenges the students and professors/instructors are facing during online
classes?
2. What mode of instructions does the professors/instructors use to deliver their classes online? Are these
effective? Why or why not?
3. What strategies does the learners have to cope up with the new normal in learning?
4. Does the learners effectively learn through online classes? Why or why not?
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HOW TO CONDUCT THE STUDY

The proposed research problem are considered to be qualitative research, therefore in order to conduct the
study, the researcher shall administer unstructured interviews and open-ended questions to a medium to large
group of respondents in order to have more reliable results.

The respondents should come from different schools and levels to determine the differences and compare the
gathered data.

Questionnaires shall be prepared and evaluated to have a clear goal and in order capture the best results of the
study.

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 RESEARCH CONCEPTS

Online learning provides different experiences. It may differ on the learners age, location,
subjects being studied, instructors or professors and the ability of the learner to adapt. Let us
take note that in order to achieve effective online learning, educators must also consider things
in delivering online instructions, thus educators on the online learning must keep in mind that
they have different types of learners.

Online learning is different from traditional classroom setting in which there are pros and cons
that we need to remember.

For future studies about online learning, we should also consider the perspective of the
instructors or professors to balance the results between students and instructors experiences on
online learning and instruction.
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