'Being there' for online learners

A colleague loaned me Lehman and Conceicao's (2010) book, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching some time back, not long after I started the PGCert in Technology-Enhanced Learning. I have carried it with me for months, and only just now have I stopped to have a good look at this.

Of course, I should have looked at it before now, but this is indicative of the challenge I have had to make time for PGCert studying throughout the year! Anyhow, I am engaged from the opening page, as the first chapter begins with two separate scenarios. Both of which are very appropriate to the context in which I am exploring the benefits and challenges of t-eL (which I guess is why they include such scenarios!)... The first describes Amanda, a mature learner (it seems the word 'learner' is preferred to 'student' when talking about online learning?), in full-time employment with a young child. She is new to online learning and has feelings of anxiety and isolation associated with the thought of being unable to interact with the tutor and her fellow students. I suspect this scenario represents a good description of the students we are likely to get on the MAPP 'distance' (FDL) course next year and is indicative of those who took the Intro to Positive Psychology distance learning module this year.

The second scenario describes Carlos, who is a tutor at a community college who has now been asked to translate his ‘traditional’ (i.e., face-to-face) courses to online courses. He is understandably a little reticent about this as he is concerned that it will be hard to convert his interactive sessions that involve students working in small groups into courses that are effective online. I’m with you Carlos! This describes my situation pretty well. OK, so I don’t feel as though this is something I am being asked to do, more it is something I want to do. But there is still a great deal of trepidation about how one goes about ‘converting’ ones course materials in this way!

Lehman and Conceicao go on to discuss the importance of ‘presence’ in online learning as a way of dealing with these kinds of anxieties and concerns among both learners and teachers working in the online environment. They cite the work of Bioca, Burgoon, Harms, and Stoner (2001), who conceptualise presence in terms of ‘telepresence’ and ‘social presence’. Lehman and Conceicao (2010) conceive of these as ‘being there’ for online learners (telepresence) and ‘being together’ with online learners (social presence). Key characteristics of these are accessibility (and this is bi-directional: tutors and learners are accessible to each other) and the transparency of the technology. There is, perhaps, some overlap here with the early stages (stages 1 and 2) of Salmon's (2000) five stage model, which emphasises the importance of access and motivation on behalf of the online learner (stage 1) and online socialisation (stage 2).

They go on to introduce the 'Being There for the Online Learner' model in which they bring together these aspects of 'presence', how they may be created and experienced, and how they relate to the inner and outer world of the learner.

Suffice to say, I am glad I finally stopped to look in the Lehman and Conceicao book!

References
Bioca, F., Burgoon, J., Harms, C., & Stoner, M. (2001). Criteria for scope and conditions for a theory and measure of social presence. Paper presented at the Presence 2001: Fourth International Workshop. Cited in Lehman, R. M., & Conceicao, S. C. O. (2010). Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to "be there" for distance learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lehman, R. M., & Conceicao, S. C. O. (2010). Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to "be there" for distance learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Salmon, G. (2000). E-moderating: the key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page.