Job Aid for Online Learning

In a 2004 Sloan-C report created by Karen Swan, Kent State University and the Sloan-C Editor for Effective Practices in Learning Effectiveness, Relationships Between Interactions and Learning In Online Environments provides an overview of research "about interaction online and its implications for practitioners". The report (effectively a job aid for those who teach or design in an online learning environment), highlights research findings regarding learner interaction in an online learning environment and the corresponding implications for those responsible for creating and managing it. Some examples include:

Interaction with Content:

Findings: "Online discussion may be more supportive of ... experimentation, divergent thinking ... than F2F discussion", whereas "Online discussion may be less supportive of ... convergent thinking, instructor directed inquiry ... than F2F discussion"
Implication: To support divergent thinking, encourage multiple perspectives through open-ended discussion questions while encouraging diverse points of view. To support convergent thinking, use other activities, such as group collaboration and written assignments.

Interaction with Instructors:

Findings: Teaching presence (as well as quality, timeliness and quantity of the interaction and feedback) is linked to student learning.
Implication: Frequent, timely and supportive teacher interaction and feedback (both private and public) must be encouraged.

Interaction with Classmates:

Findings: Learning occurs socially within "communities of practice" and is related to the quantity and quality of discussion posts, including the perceived value that the instructor places on them.
Implications:Discussion participation must be highly valued within the instructional design and by the teacher. In addition, other community-building activities must be incorporated and encouraged.

Interaction with Course Interfaces:

Findings: The student’s impression and interaction with the course interface impact learning. Narration and animation can provide better learning than on-screen text alone, as can the learner-controlled pace of the presentation.
Implications: Selection of best course platform and interface to support learning is crucial, including consistent interfaces for all courses.