Camilla Anne Czubaj once wrote, "Communication is defined as the transmission of information, the transmission of understanding, and the use of common symbols (2002). Looking a bit deeper into Czubaj’s comments, one could easily see that the author is able to comprehend how communication can be used to not only transmit ideas, thoughts and information, but she focuses on how learning must be understood by those involved. Taking a closer look into Czubaj’s study, allows one to see the results of cyberlearning and its effects on children.
When Czubaj conducted her examination into how cyberlearning affects children, she was able to grasp the human side of such a technological frontier. As the world continues its never-ending quest for faster modes of communication, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we’re communicating with one another, rather than a programmed cyberbot. Yet, no matter how much fluidity one may try to incorporate into their communication, there seems to be a lack of real human understanding and support, which Czubaj tried to examine in her study. How often has one tried to complete an online course, only to wonder who or what is on the other end? For many people—online communication, especially that which accompanies online learning—the lack of support, the sound of a human voice, and in particular, face-to-face interaction with fellow classmates and the instructor, can be very overwhelming.
Throughout her study, Czubaj explored how students learned, the various learning styles associated with web-based courses, as well as with how educational administrators dealt with at-risk students. There were also a number of objectives that Czubaj was searching for which included: the demographic characteristics of the students, motivation and learning strategies, and how specific learning styles affect motivation and achievement. Moreover, it was Czubaj's intent to find out how cyberlearning would affect at-risk students, if at all.
Just as Czubaj conducted her own study on how cyberlearning affects children, I was quite nervous about re-entering the educational realm as a working adult. Not only did I have to contend with life outside of the classroom, but I had to worry about time management, accessing my assignments, figuring out what was required from one class to the next, and coming face to face with my own level of confidence. Could I really succeed as an adult cyberlearner? While there have been a few struggles, I have found my experiences to be quite interesting and rewarding. Yes, there are the intrinsic rewards that one looks for, but being a cyberstudent has significantly increased my confidence; pushing me to reach both educational and professional goals that I may not have sought out otherwise. Cyberlearning taught me to rely on my abilities to search for answers on my own without seeking assistance through technical support or via the instructor. Furthermore, I believe that online learning has allowed me to take chances with my writing; expanding my creativity through the various writing assignments that I’ve had thus far.
Interestingly enough, Czubaj found that web-based learning not only improved self-confidence for at-risk students, it also promoted positive communication between classmates and the instructor. Furthermore, while there is some positive feedback from Czubaj's study, she did find that cyberlearners can sometimes run into many of the same issues that I ran into when I embarked on my own journey of self-discovery as an adult student. She noted that lack of communication cues such as gestures, facial expressions, and consistent instructor feedback was a problem for the children in the study. Furthermore, she also found that technological problems and instructor ambiguity led several students to drop the cybercourse altogether.
While cyberlearning can be difficult for both children and adults, it's clear that the methods used for such instruction has both positive and negative effects. Such effects, however, will only increase over time, thus leading to a similar conclusion found in Czubaj's report in which students dropped the course. And although I have struggled with some of the courses that I have had at Regis, I shall continue to recommend web-based learning to those who may not have the time to sit in, nor do they want to deal with the traditional classroom environment.
References:
Czubaj, C.A. (2002). A Study of Studies: Cyberspace Communications, 123(2). Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu/ehost/detail?vid =3&hid=13&sid=18d24dc8-4fdd-43c7-b4c8-00caf5d44b89%40sessionmgr4
&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbG12ZQ%3d%3d#db=ufh&AN=9134797
No comments:
Post a Comment