Convenience is often a major draw for online learning, but are students truly satisfied with the way their online courses are designed? Understanding how students perceive different instructional strategies is key to improving the quality of online education. At the Lilly Teaching Conference in Anaheim, I presented research aimed at uncovering online students’ perspectives and offering faculty and instructional designers actionable insights.
Presentation Summary: What Do Students Really Think?
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The Central Question: My presentation explored whether online students are satisfied with online courses simply because of the flexibility, or whether they are genuinely satisfied with the instructional strategies used within them.
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Background and Data: The research involved undergraduate online courses with primarily traditional-aged students (19-21). While overall satisfaction scores were positive, the findings revealed a more nuanced picture.
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Student Feedback on Courses: Students indicated they were most satisfied with the overall learning experience, course expectations, and the likelihood of recommending the course to others. Interestingly, a greater number of students expressed a desire for more online offerings than those willing to participate in further online courses themselves.
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Insights on Specific Strategies: The presentation highlighted student preferences for various instructional strategies:
- Key Takeaways: The instructor’s role remains crucial. Well-designed homework, formative assessments, and summative tests are valued.
- Improving Readings and Writing: Provide guidance with reading assignments and make writing tasks meaningful rather than simply busywork.
- Purposeful Projects: Individual projects with clear instructions were favored over collaboration for its own sake.
- Rethinking Discussion Boards and Groups: Avoid discussions easily replicated as individual assignments and ensure clear structure and expectations for groups.
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The Complexity of Satisfaction: The presentation acknowledged that convenience is a major factor. However, students also choose online courses with the expectation that they will learn effectively. Many factors beyond instructional strategies can impact student satisfaction.
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Understanding Student Types: It’s important to recognize that online courses attract students with varying attitudes, ranging from negative to positive, and a significant portion falling into the ambivalent category.
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The Psychological Contract Approach: An interesting suggestion was to focus on the “psychological contract” – the unspoken expectations students have upon entering an online course. Measuring satisfaction against this initial contract could provide further insights.
Key Takeaways
The presentation emphasized the following for faculty and instructional designers:
- Student Feedback Matters: Actively gather and analyze student perceptions about the online learning process.
- The Instructor’s Impact: Even with technology, the instructor’s role in crafting a positive learning experience remains crucial.
- Intentional Design: Choose instructional strategies that directly support learning objectives and student engagement. Avoid using strategies simply because they are commonly used in online courses.
- Beyond Satisfaction: While satisfaction is important, the goal is to foster a learning environment where students feel genuinely challenged and supported to achieve their educational goals.
Continuing the Conversation
This presentation sought to spark dialogue on how to design online courses that meet student needs and expectations. By understanding student preferences and potential areas for improvement, we can optimize online learning experiences, ensuring that these courses offer not just convenience, but also a truly transformative educational journey.
