The Role of the Instructor in Web-based Instruction: Are We Practicing What We Preach?

Just a few short months ago, we turned the corner and marched eyes-wide-open into the 21^st century. While theories abound regarding how the field of education and training will grow and develop during this exciting time, there is a general consensus that web-based instruction will play a prominent role. Indeed, the presence of web-based instruction in education and training today is already felt with a vengeance. "The widespread availability and access to the Internet, a student population that is increasingly non-traditional, and occupational forces that require worker re-education, have fueled the avalanche of Web-based courses in higher education" (Miller & Miller, 1999). Since it is apparent that this trend will continue, as educators we have a responsibility to address our role in this trend and wield its power wisely. This study examined the use of best practices identified in the literature in the instruction of web-based courses.

Review of Literature

For purposes of this study, web-based instruction is defined as delivery of educational or training materials to a student(s) via the Internet that includes hyperlinks and communication capabilities. Specifically, this project will examine web-based learning that is led or facilitated by an instructor. Distance learning encompasses any form of instruction in which the instructor and student are separated by time, location or both.

In order to examine best use of web-based instruction, it is important that we understand the typical student who is receiving the instruction. The research surrounding the characteristics of an effective distance learning student generally agrees: students should be mature, assertive, self-disciplined, and independent (Buchanan, 1999), able to shape and manage change (Rogers, 2000) and most importantly, must be highly motivated and possess well-developed self-directed learning skills (Carlson & Repman, 2000). What has been less researched and is of significant importance to instructors of web-based courses, however, is what students of web-based instruction are really like. Rita-Marie Conrad (1999), an online instructor with Florida State University asserts that self-direction is a learned trait and is, therefore, not necessarily present in all students participating in web-based courses. She cites the work of G. Grow and defines four stages of learners an instructor may actually encounter in any web-based course: Dependent, Interested, Involved and Self-directed. Conrad states that instructors should, in fact, "assume that all learners are at the early stage of self-direction" (p. 111). Given the surge of popularity of web-based instruction, it seems clear that the possibility that students may not meet the desired profile of a good distance learner and, instead, fall into one of Grow’s lower-level categories becomes more and more likely. Carlson and Repman (2000), in their article regarding web instructors� actual experiences in teaching online state, "We find that students who are successful in distance learning environment tend to be mature, highly motivated, and possess well-developed self-directed learning skills. That may not describe our average student" (p. 12). This is an area that impacts online instruction and certainly merits closer examination.

If it can’t be assumed that all students in a web-based course possess desirable qualities for a distance learner, then the role of the instructor in such a situation becomes even more important. Much has been written on instructor effectiveness in a web-based environment. A veritable list of best practices can be generated:

• State expectations of students and the course clearly and early (Conrad, 1999, Berge, 1995, Verneil & Berge, 2000, Carlson & Repman, 2000, Palloff & Pratt, 1999)
• Structure content so that it is easy to follow (Conrad, 1999, Miller & Miller, 1999)
• Provide regular feedback and guidance to the students (Conrad, 1999, Verneil & Berge, 2000, Miller & Miller, 1999, Berge, 1995)
• Provide an opportunity for students to give feedback regarding learning and course progress (Conrad, 1999, Miller & Miller, 1999)
• Strive for participation by all students (Berge, 1995, Palloff & Pratt, 1999, Verneil & Berge, 2000)
• Promote collaborative learning (Conrad, 1999, Verneil & Berge, 2000, Berge, 1995, Miller & Miller, 1999, Palloff & Pratt, 1999)

If all of this information is available to educators at minimal effort, the question that begs to be asked then is are we using it? A recent study by Hara and Kling (1999) suggests that the answer is no, not effectively enough. In this study, the researchers followed a group of 8 graduate students participating in a web-based course at a major U. S. university. Specifically, the study examined closely the frustrations students experienced during the semester with regards to the online class. The researchers found that students experienced a high amount of frustration originating from three major sources: technological problems, minimal and not timely feedback from the instructor and ambiguous instructions on the Web site as well as via e-mail. The researchers concluded that the cause of this phenomena was that "an experienced administrator and online teacher …misperceived the kinds of pedagogical shifts required from face-to-face teaching and …underestimate[d] the extent to which mentoring could be critical" (p. 27).

Are we as educators taking this necessary shift seriously or regularly underestimating it? Palloff and Pratt (1999) agree that the latter may be true.

In the stampede to place courses online, educators may be overlooking the difficulties of structuring and leading a web-based course and ignoring an important observation � "a good classroom professor is not necessarily a good online professor" (Rogers, 2000, p. 23).

Teaching online is a new and different experience from teaching in a classroom. It requires a different set of skills and a different pedagogy. It is so different, in fact that Rick Ells, an online instructor with the University of Washington renames the process "webagogy" (cited in Carlson & Repman, 2000, p. 11). Plainly, developing a new pedagogy can be neither a fast nor easy process. Still, in this ever-developing world of amazing technological advances it is easy to forget that "technology does not teach students; effective teachers do" (Whitesel, cited in Palloff & Pratt, 1999, p. 350). It is when instructors and educational institutions ignore this necessary development and forge ahead that students face courses from which they cannot learn effectively.

This project will seek to determine if the results found by Hara and Kling are unique or representative of a larger issue in online instruction.

Purpose

Central to this study is the list of best practices identified in the literature review as characteristic of effective instruction in a web-based setting. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent instructors are consistently implementing the guidelines identified by the literature in their standard online courses.

Design

A survey methodology was used to capture data relating to the frequency of use of these best practices in an education and/or training setting. A questionnaire was the primary data collection instrument. The questionnaire was designed for two distinct audiences: educators and trainers who have taught or are teaching a course online and learners who have taken or are taking a course online. The questionnaires were nearly identical, but were tailored to address each individual target audience and evaluated as separate tools. Both questionnaires were distributed via an online form via listservs dedicated to training and online learning.

Survey questions could be categorized as one of the following types: ranking, scale and quantity. Responses to survey questions were interpreted to determine the value instructors and students of web-based instruction assigned to nine best practices of web-based instruction as identified by the literature. Additionally, instructors� responses were assessed to determine how often they utilized each of the best practices in their web-based courses. Student responses were assessed to determine how often the best practices were utilized in courses in which they were enrolled. Finally, instructor questionnaire data was analyzed to determine the amount of experience instructors had in teaching web-based courses. Likewise, student questionnaire data was analyzed to determine the amount of experience students had in studying in web-based courses. The instructor questionnaire data was examined to determine if there was any correlation between quantity of experience and use of the best practices in a web-based by instructors. Additionally, the student questionnaire data was examined to determine if there was any correlation between student overall opinion of a course and use of best practices by instructors of web-based courses.

Preliminary Results

In a preliminary analysis of the data, the results from both sets of surveys were interpreted separately to draw general conclusions regarding the use of best practices in web-based courses from the viewpoints of students versus the viewpoints of instructors. A total of 171 students completed the survey and 105 instructors participated.

Of interest is the value instructors and students assigned to the list of best practices. Students and instructors were given a list of the identified best practices and asked to rank which was the most important and which was least important to them as students and instructors of web-based courses. 100% of student and instructor participants identified one of the best practices as most important. Both groups consistently agreed that the most important best practice identified was ensuring that course content is easy to follow. About the same number of students as instructors felt that regular feedback to the student is an important characteristic of a web-based course. Students placed considerably more value on expectations of the instructor stated clearly and the provision of adequate content. The opportunity for students to provide feedback was endorsed by no instructors and few students as a most important practice.

161 students (94%) and 97 (92%) instructors completing the survey agreed that promoting collaborative learning was the least important best practice. Many more students than instructors, however, felt that stating instructor expectations clearly was less important. Instructors placed less value on providing adequate content than did students. In fact, approximately the same number of students ranked that best practice as most important as did instructors who ranked it least important. Instructors were evenly divided as to how important regular guidance to the student is. Students were fairly evenly split on their opinions of the importance of encouraging and facilitating participation by all students.

Not surprisingly, instructors felt that they are always utilizing best practices in their web-based courses. The best practice most consistently ranked as "always used" by instructors was stating expectations early. A close second in ranking was providing an opportunity for students to give feedback. The best practice ranked most important by instructors and students, structuring content so it is easily followed, was reported nearly always incorporated by instructors. The best practice ranked least important by instructors and students, promoting collaborative learning, showed slightly heavier responses in the "sometimes" and "frequently" categories.

Students ranked instructors lower on frequency of use of nearly all best practices than did instructors to the same question. In the experiences of the students who completed the survey, instructors utilized best practices frequently, but not always. Used least frequently was promotion of collaborative learning, a practice considered least important by both students and instructors. The best practice identified as most important by both students and instructors, structuring content so it is easy to follow, was used frequently in the experience of the students, less often than always. Interestingly, the strongest "always" response from students and instructors was in providing an opportunity for students to give feedback, a practice previously generating zero to low responses from both parties as a most important best practice.

Sixteen instructors (15%) completing the survey indicated that they had taught four or more web-based courses. The 16 participants ranked themselves highly on always and frequently responses to all best practices, with the strongest agreement on providing an opportunity for student feedback. Instructors were least likely to provide adequate content, a value most instructor participants consistently ranked among the least important. The best practice identified by instructors as most important, structuring content so it is easy to follow, received high "always" responses.

Twenty-eight (27%) instructor respondents indicated that they had taught no more than one web-based course. On the whole, respondents claim to use best practices with even greater frequency of those instructors who have taught 4 or more web-based courses. Instructors indicated that they provide feedback on a less regular basis than the more experienced instructors and provide less opportunity for collaborative learning. Less experienced instructors also provide fewer opportunities for students to provide feedback. These instructors did, however, rank themselves considerably higher on structuring course content so it is easy to follow, the practice ranked most important by instructors.

One hundred twenty-three (72%) of the students that completed the questionnaire indicated that their experience in a web-based course was somewhat to very positive. The data indicates that best practices were used consistently in the courses in which student felt they had a positive experience. Even with less frequent promotion of collaborative learning, students felt their experience was positive.

Forty (23%) student respondents indicated that their learning experience in a web-based course ranged from neutral to very negative. Students with negative experiences indicate that best practices were used less frequently than did those with positive experiences. There was a higher incidence of "sometimes" and "rarely" responses than in any other survey group. Out of 360 possible responses, only 14 or 4% "always" responses were recorded vice 32% "always" responses from the students with positive experiences. There was also a higher incident of "never" responses.

Conclusions and Implications

Instructors and students of web-based courses agree fairly closely that the following elements of a web-based course are most important:

• Course content is easy to follow
• Regular feedback to the student is provided

Students, however, placed considerably more emphasis on the provision of adequate content and a clear statement of expectations by the instructor.

Clearly, the instructors of web-based courses that participated in this survey believe they are frequently using the best practices identified in the literature. Student survey data, while not quite as favorable, does support their claim. This is encouraging news for both interested parties.

Survey data does not support that inexperienced instructors (instructors who have taught only one web-based course) use best practices less frequently. Instead, it indicates that instructors are utilizing best practices regularly in their web-based courses regardless of their level of expertise. This indicates a stronger knowledge base in new instructors about the requirements of effective online instruction than the researcher presumed.

It is apparent from the survey data that when these best practices are not utilized frequently, student opinion about the web-based course suffers as a result. This supports all of the literature from which these best practices were derived. It is in the best interest of students and instructors of web-based courses to continue to utilize these best practices as often as possible in the instruction of material online.

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References

Berge, Z. (1995). The Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator. Educational Technology, 35 (1), 22-30, Retrieved Jan. 29, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www2.nau.edu/~mpc3/moderate/teach_online.html

Buchanan, E. (1999). Assessment Measures: Pre-Tests for Successful Distance Teaching and Learning? Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 2 (4), Retrieved Jan. 29, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/buchanan24.html

Carlson, R. & Repman, J. (2000). Building that Human Touch into Your Web-Based Course. WebNet Journal, 2 (3), 9-11.

Carlson, R. & Repman, J. (2000). Experience Speaks! What Web Instructors Wish They’d Known. WebNet Journal, 2 (1), 11-13.

Conrad, R. (1999). Developing Learner Self-Direction in a Webcentric Learning Environment. Paper presented at the 15^th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Madison, Wisconsin.

Hara, N. & Kling, R. (1999). Students� Frustrations with a Web-Based Distance Education Course. First Monday, 4 (12), Retrieved Jan. 29, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue4_12/hara/

Miller S. & Miller K. (1999). Using Instructional Theory to Facilitate Communication in Web-based Courses. Educational Technology & Society, 2 (3), Retrieved Jan. 29, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://ifets.ieee.org/periodical/vol_3_99/miller.html

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (1999). Making the Transition: Helping Teachers to Teach Online. Paper presented at the 15^th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Madison, Wisconsin.

Rogers, D. (2000) A Paradigm Shift: Technology Integration for Higher Education in the New Millenium. Educational Technology Review, 6 (3), 19-27.

Verneil, M. & Berge, Z. (2000). Going Online: Guidelines for Faculty in Higher Education. Educational Technology Review, 6 (3), 13-18.

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