Jen Lewon uses social media to build student community in distance-learning course.
The Speech Language Pathology Prerequisites (SLPP) program is a distance-learning leveling coursework program in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. Many of the SLPP students live in areas where they cannot access traditional (on-campus) undergraduate coursework. Students come from all over Colorado, including rural and remote regions of the state. Students are very communicative using D2L discussion boards, and often state that they wish they could meet in person and work together more often, in and out of class. Students who live in close proximity have put together study groups when possible, but most students don’t have access to this option. Students have discussed using other forums to connect, but have not realized that goal yet. Many are non-traditional age learners and most work while taking these courses.
How the Teaching and Learning Challenge has Changed Over Time
Students engaged in traditional campus-based programs have unlimited forums for connecting with other students in or outside of their programs of study. Distance learners have limited access to similar forums because many rely on being face-to-face with peers. Researchers and instructors have invested time ensuring that online courses and learner outcomes are similar to traditional study, but perhaps less on how to build student community for distance learners.
As evidenced by the maps below (Figure 1, Figure 2), SLPP students come from all over Colorado, including rural and remote regions of the state.
Jen Lewon's Figure 1 and Figure 2 demonstrate the diversity of distance learning students' homes
What worked well?
- The technology was intended to promote student interaction (via text, audio or video), to engage and connect students for course content, and to allow students to access this technology on their own to communicate, work together and build community
- Students in SLHS 4512 were able to access and use the Google+ community. Students participated in conversations by posting, leaving comments, and +1’ing posts. Students navigated the community easily to find the topics they were most interested in. Students did not use the Google+ community for discussion of course content, since the Discussion tool in D2L already seemed to meet that need. However, students did access the technology on their own to communicate, work together and build community, specifically to introduce themselves and interact on a more personal level, and to have a continuing discussion about applications to graduate school, GREs, etc.
What would you do differently in the future?
- SLPP students begin coursework in summer and enroll in 4 consecutive semesters (summer, fall, spring, summer) to complete the program. I introduced this tool in spring 2014, during the cohort’s third semester together. Introducing this kind of communication tool earlier in the program (during summer 1) would likely increase its utilization and build the distance learning community.
What feedback did students give?
- A few students had difficulty accessing the technology initially (to get signed up with Google+ and enter the community). Other students were very helpful (within D2L discussion forums), sharing their experiences and how they had encountered and overcome similar issues. Ultimately, every student in the course was able to join the community. The discussion about graduate school applications was productive, although some students expressed that they wished the discussion had begun earlier (most of the graduate school application process occurred before the community was built). They expressed how nice it was to meet each other, see each other’s faces and hear each other’s voices following the introduction assignment. I may continue to survey the students for feedback on use of the tool (during end-of-semester FCQs or course reflection surveys).
Description of sample experiences or student use:
- Of the 24 students registered in the course, 24 accessed and joined the SLPP 2013-2014 community, and 21 posted introductions (17 text, 4 video and 0 audio). There were 13 comments posted on introduction posts. In the community posts category, there have been 17 posts about the grad school application process, mostly interacting with one another about where students applied, whether they were waiting to apply, and comments/questions about the application process. No hangout sessions have been initiated by the instructor or students.
- Figure 3 is a screenshot of the Google+ community, specifically the text and video introductions
Screenshot of the Google+ community, specifically the text and video introductions
