Learner’s Perspectives on What is Missing from Online Learning: Interpretations through the Community of Inquiry Framework
Several different things are discussed within this article as to what is missing from online learning. Each element that was considered missing was studied to see what exactly it was that the students felt were missing from the learning experience due to the lack of these components.
The first missing element several students experienced was the face-to-face contact. They said they felt disconnected from the other learners. After studying this, the researchers believe it is not necessarily the fact that the learners were missing seeing each other but it is the social interaction and presences of the other students that they were missing. Thus, teachers should make sure that there is not only class related discussions online but also information that lets the students learn a little about each other to make them more comfortable with each other in their discussions. This they feel will help alleviate the lack of face-to-face communications that some were experiencing.
There were five other items that the learners felt were missing. These five items were the “robustness of online dialog, spontaneity and improvisation, perceiving and being perceived by others, getting to know others, and learning to be an online learner” (Stodel, et. all 2006, p 5). Overall, the learners missed the social interaction that occurs within a traditional setting that is not always present within an online environment. Overall the point that is stated must be remembered when it come to technology in general is that “as technology magnifies and reduces it draws attention to what is present as well as what is missing” (Stodel, et. all 2006, p 20).
Stodel, E., Thompson, T., & MacDonald, C. (2006) Learners’ perspectives on what is missing from online learning: Interpretations through the community of inquiry framework. The International Review of Research in Open Distance Learning [Online] 7(3). Retrieved on October 10, 2008 fromhttp://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/325/744