Online interactivity
- Introduction
- What is online interactivity?
- What types of online interactivity are there?
- Resources
- References
Introduction
The University of South Australia is striving to engage students in their learning to develop the qualities of a UniSA graduate - thus online learning for students needs to be as interactive.
Often when teaching is first transferred to an online environment, it focuses on providing students with information relevant to their courses. Although this strategy can improve the flexibility with which students can access materials, it does little to improve the ease with which students learn. As with all good teaching, it is important to provide interactive learning environments where students can test and critically evaluate their understandings, apply their knowledge to solve problems and discuss issues relevant to their profession (Biggs, 1999). These strategies work to improve learning effectiveness and knowledge retention and to build skills in the application of that knowledge in professional contexts.
What is online interactivity?
Interactivity in any teaching and learning context involves students responding to information, seeking feedback on their responses, reflecting on the feedback and acting appropriately to tailor their personal learning experiences (Laurillard, 2002). These practices motivate students to engage with the material, giving them more control over achieving their learning outcomes. In the online environment at UniSA, interactivity in teaching and learning means students not only read text online, but also interact with online resources, and/or people (teachers, peers, experts, community), using different online tools. These activities can improve student learning outcomes in relation to the Graduate Qualities and the course objectives.
What types of online interactivity are there?
Learner online interactivity can involve:
- learner use of technology
- learner interaction with stored information
- learner interaction with other learners and/or teachers.
Learner use of the technology
This involves basic online computer literacy skills such as knowing how to use email, databases, discussion boards and web browsers. Often this form of interactivity is given emphasis over other strategies that can be used to enhance student learning. While ease of use of the technology is important, simply clicking a link, or uploading a file, is just the first step towards other experiences of interactive learning.
Examples of learner use of the technology
- The student finds information by, for example, clicking on hyperlinks to find answers to their own questions or to set questions. By using buttons, links and navigation within a well-designed site, students can learn the principles of using web sites as resources
- The student uses online tools (text boxes, files uploads) to share information (e.g. text, voice, images, and other media).
Learner interaction with stored information
Student engagement with stored information, for example web resources and online texts, helps them develop their body of knowledge. Students engage with ideas and principles that can promote reflection and critical analysis. What follows are some examples of tools that allow interaction with content.
World Wide Web resources
Students interact with World Wide Web resources that introduce them to online resources relevant to their professional area (web sites, databases, ejournals, ebooks) and learning (e.g. Learning and Teaching Unit’s online workshops). These can develop their information literacy within their professional environment (Graduate Quality 2) and extend their body of knowledge (Graduate Quality 1).
Online quizzes
Students use online quizzes to test and critically evaluate their body of knowledge (Graduate Quality 2), utilising the embedded feedback to extend their body of knowledge (Graduate Quality 1). This student learning is done in an environment that is independent of the teacher, and promotes the development of autonomous work practices in students (Graduate Quality 4). In online quizzes the interaction occurs between the student and stored information. When students provide a response to a question, the feedback is immediate and can be designed to address common misconceptions within a topic. As quizzes are online, they can be accessed at anytime and on multiple occasions. Quizzes that incorporate feedback do involve time and effort when first developed, but once created, can be reused over and over again. They can also be modified and extended when required.
Online journaling
In online journaling, students are given or create an online environment where they can record their thoughts privately. These can include embedded prompts from the lecturer, that the student can select to see, that guide them during the reflective journaling process. The entries can be compiled, retrieved and ‘copied and pasted’ in assignments. Blogs can be useful for this purpose.
- Blogs- In a nutshell - 5 minute overview
Software
Different types of educational software can be made available online, on the hard drive of student pool computers, on CD-ROM or floppy disks. Although their purposes will vary depending on the discipline, typically they provide a space for the student to interact with stored information. Some have been designed to improve problem-solving skills (Graduate Quality 3) and extend the body of knowledge (Graduate Quality 1).
Learner interaction with other learners and/or teachers
Students can also interact with people as part of their online learning experience. This interaction can be with the tutor, course co-ordinator or another teacher in the area. Interaction can also occur with other learners, to socially construct understandings. These various forms of interactivity are possible in an online environment, and can be facilitated by a range of tools to achieve different learning outcomes. Online communications can be archived and made available to students for revision, and to teachers for reflection on their teaching practices. In addition, online interactivity with people develops Graduate Quality 6, the capacity to communicate effectively in professional practice and as a member of the community. A more detailed exploration of interactivity that encourages online learning conversations can be found in the teaching guide about online collaboration.
The tools available at UniSA to support online interactivity with people include asynchronous discussion forums, synchronous chat groups, Centra, email, and online surveys.
Asynchronous discussion forums can be used as
- a News forum to keep students updated with events within a course. The communication here is generally one way, teacher to student, which does not strictly qualify as interaction.
- a way of focusing discussion about an assignment, where the student is able to interact with the tutor about any issues that arise. Communication flows both ways between the teacher and student. Because the interaction happens in a shared environment, all students may benefit from groups to raise questions and concerns so that all students can access responses.
- a discussion area - where the teacher can ask questions about a topic and ask students to respond to and interact with each other.
Online surveys are another type of online interaction available through UniSAnet. The interaction is between student and teacher initially (online collection of information from students) and then teacher to student (when the collated responses are reported and acted upon). The online survey tools available include the Course Evaluation Instrument (CEI), the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) questionnaire, and the more flexible TellUs2 surveys. These practices provide models of the self-evaluation skills students need to develop as part of Graduate Quality 2.
Online role-play and simulations are an example of a way that multiple interactive online tools can be combined in a single online learning experience. Learners can take on a role relevant to their profession. They may learn about this role by interacting with stored resources, and by experiencing that role together with other participants within asynchronous discussion forums, synchronous chat and/or email.
Role -play and simulations can be used to:
- develop team work skills (Graduate Quality 4)
- present students with social, cultural, international and ethical issues relevant to their profession (Graduate Qualities 5 and 7)
- encourage students to develop their communication and problem solving skills to find workable solutions to problems (Graduate Qualities 6 and 3).
There are a growing number of free online collaboration tools that can be used by students to make their group work easier. For example, UniSA's engineering students use wikis for student groups to create web sites for their project reports.
- Using wikis in higher education- In a nutshell - 5 minute overview
- Educational uses of Google Docs and spreadsheets - Cindy Russell (Uni Tennessee) - 5 minute overview
Synchronous - virtual classroom
Centra is available to teachers to teach classes of up to 50 online at the same time.
- Centra- In a nutshell - 5 minute overview
Resources
If you need help or any further information about online interactivity, please contact Academic Development staff at Learning and Teaching Unit.
If you would like information about the technical aspects of incorporating online interactivity, contact an Online Adviser at any Learning and Teaching Unit office.
References
Biggs, J 1999, Teaching for quality learning at university: what the student does, Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press, Buckingham, UK.
Laurillard, D 2002, Rethinking university teaching: a conversational framework for the effective use of learning technologies , 2nd edition, Routledge, London.