LTAC
Project Group:
Technology-enabled Flexible Learning (TEFL)
The purpose of the Learning Technology Advisory
Council (LTAC) Technology-enabled Flexible Learning (TEFL)
project group
is to develop a methodology for student introduction (i.e., Setting
Expectations, Preparation, and Induction) to the e-learning
environment. This methodology will be
aimed at adult
learners focusing on new and experienced e-learning students and
addressing
issues of completion, retention and persistence during this most
vulnerable
phase of the e-learner’s student life cycle. The specific work of the
TEFL project group, Best
Practices for Prospective and New Student Introduction to E-Learning,
is necessary to
position e-learning students to succeed as the
students’ first set of experiences with their e-learning courses can be
either
a barrier to retention or contribute to the likelihood of persistence.
The
work of the TEFL group also holds strong potential for
supporting other IMS GLC activities, including:
1.Information
Analytics (IA) PUFSIG.
As
the TEFL group
develops a methodology for adult student introduction to e-learning,
members of
the IA PUFSIG and TEFL will work together to develop use cases for end
user
requirements related to student attrition, retention and persistence
analytics. This
approach will support
the scope of the IA PUFSIG and eventually provide information analytics
standards for incorporation into the TEFL-developed Best
Practices for Prospective and New
Student Introduction to E-Learning.
2. Overarching
mission of the IMS GLC to enhance Learning
Impact.
Improving the quality of and access to education is the global
challenge that underpins all
other global
challenges. Harnessing
the potential
power of new technologies that can enhance the reach and effectiveness
of
education is a compelling priority for society. The IMS GLC plays a
significant
role in recognizing advances in and application of technologies that
address
key educational challenges worldwide. This recognition is accomplished
through the annual IMS
GLC Learning
Impact Awards.
Participants
The IMS Technical Board approved the TEFL Charter in December2007. IMS GLC Community Members may download a copy of the
IMS
TEFL
Charter
The
Current Challenge
Students
who have a poor set of first experiences with their e-learning courses
often
become frustrated and dissatisfied, and are more likely to dropout.
Likewise, students who
engage early and
frequently with their course content, faculty, and online peers in an
effective
and cohesive manner are well positioned to succeed. The TEFL group will
develop
and promote best practices
in this area, as "poor retention would preclude the viability of online
learning unless strategies [effective practices] to increase student
success
and control costs related to student attrition can be reversed"
(O’Brien and
Renner, 2002). As
online courses and
programs continue to grow at exponential rates and provide global
reach, e-learning
student completion, retention and persistence are areas of great
concern to
faculty and administrators. As
suggested
by Carr (2000) and O’Brien (2002), online student retention is one of
the
greatest weaknesses in online education. In a literature review
conducted
by Herbert (2006), several studies
showed that the failed retention rate for online college and university
undergraduates range from 20 to 50 percent, and that online course
administrators believe the failed retention rate for online courses to
be 10 to
20% higher than traditional classroom environments (Frankola, 2001;
Diaz,
2002).
The
number of college
students who are participating in online courses and programs (some
with
significant global reach) continues to increase dramatically, despite
the
greater likelihood of student non-completion of course and resultant
failed
retention and persistence. For
example, approximately 3.5M
higher education students in the United
States were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006
term; a
nearly 10 percent increase over the number reported in 2005 (Allen and
Seamen, 2007). And,
international efforts
to increase technology-enabled learning continue to grow in light of
the
attrition, retention and persistence issues associated with this form
of
learning. A
study published by BBC News (2005) found that 75 percent of the 150
institutions surveyed across Europe employ
computer-based learning as a significant part of most of their courses
or plan
to do so by 2008. While
the Australian
Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) commissioned a
study
(Universities Online: A survey of online education and services in
Australia
to
assess online education in Australian universities (DEST, 2002). This
study found that
during a 5-to-7 year
period, there was considerable increase in activity within universities
in the
use of Internet technologies for research, teaching, learning and
administrative
services, with 207 fully online courses offered by 23 of 40 Australian
universities surveyed; and, sixty-five of these courses (31 percent)
are
delivered only by online mode. While
the
Korean Education Research Information Service (KERIS) reports that the
adoption
of e-learning at four-year universities is close to 60 percent. That
is, e-learning
initiatives are underway
at 114 of the 201 universities in Korea, including the General,
Educational,
Industrial, and the National Open Universities – serving just over 1.6M
students. In April of 2006, approximately 16,000 students were enrolled
in the
17 Korean cyber universities. As
of the
first semester of 2007, a total of 3,600 e-learning lectures are being
offered
by the Korean cyber universities, a 34 percent increase compared to the
first
semester of 2005. While
the overall
enrollments have increased by 30 percent from 2003 to 2006.
The
Proposed Solution
The
TEFL project group
will develop and promote an “end-to-end” methodology for introducing
e-learning
students to the online environment, to include best practices drawn
from
literature, personal accounts and workshops (LTAC and other) for each
student
Introduction Phase (i.e. Expectations, Preparation and Induction). This
methodology will
provide a framework for
learning technologists and e-learning faculty and administrators to
address the
quality and service needs of introductory adult e-learners while
establishing a
effective practices for recruiting, retaining and supporting student
persistence. This
document will serve as an active
methodology for student introduction to the e-learning environment;
and, will
provide upon acceptance by the IMS TAB, will be maintained by an active
IMS GLC
Accredited Profile Management Group (APMG).
Current
Activities
View a Video Presentation - (Note Large File Size - Long Download ) about TEFL from the Learning Technology Advisory Council Workshop in October 2008.
|
Event
|
Purpose
|
Dates
|
|
Project Charter Approved
|
Charter
|
December 2007
|
|
Draft Base Document
|
Base Doc Development
|
February 2008
|
|
CM/DN Draft - TAB
|
Review and Input
|
June 2008
|
|
Public Review Period - IMS Posting
|
Public Comment / Input
|
July - December 2008
|
|
Public Wiki
|
Peer Review and Input
|
July - December 2008
|
|
Conference Presentation: DTL
|
Peer Review and Input
|
August 2008
|
|
Conference Presentation: ALT
|
Peer Review and Input
|
September 2008
|
|
Conference Presentation: EDUCAUSE
|
Peer Review and Input
|
October 2008
|
|
Conference Presentation: Sloan-C
|
Peer Review and Input
|
November 2008
|
|
Conference Presentation: Ascilite
|
Peer Review and Input
|
November/December 2008
|
|
Final Document - TAB
|
Approval and Release
|
January 2009
|
Related
Information
For related
information, please visit:
Further
Information
For
information on the TEFL
project, please contact:
John Falchi
Chief Program Strategist
IMS Global Learning Consortium
email: jfalchi@imsglobal.org
office: 919.656.0343
For information on IMS GLC and the
benefits of being a Contributing
Member, please
contact:
Rob Abel
Chief Executive Officer
IMS Global Learning Consortium
rabel@imsglobal.org
|
