Virtual Learning

[Dr. Joel Gendelman]

Are many of you involved in virtual learning. What are your experiences, both good and bad? Is there any guidance that you would provider others?

[Glynn Cavin, Ph. D., Colonel, USAF (Ret.)]

We are researching the use of immersive virtual learning enviornment as an enhanced delivery method of an existing highway worker safety course. We chose this course because it is a well-estabished half day course, that currently uses table top exercises to reinforce learning transfer. We will conduct approximately 10 classes, 20 participants per class, half will be control, half treatment. We will conduce pre and post surveys and tests, and measure a number of factors, primarily if there is acceptance, usability, effectiveness of the vle. We are in the methodology design stage now, and have met with vle technical experts, sponsors, and content/training managers. We have also spoken with a number of experts in this area (such as Dr. Tony O'Driscoll, Duke), and have conducted an extensive lit review. We have also developed our logic model.
We are intentionally keeping the vle simple, and will make the participant/simulation interface as easy to use as possible, most likely using a game controller. We want the participants focus to be on the simulation, and not the hardware. Although there have been many studies on this subject, we believe few (if any) have looked at as diverse a group of participants as we will. The results should be interesting.
I believe the key is to minimize the differences in the course content and traditional classroom part of the delivery, make the vle simple and easy to use, make sure the technical types and the course designers fully integrate their efforts, and make sure you have a well developed and fully understood logic model so that you understand the outcomes you want to achieve.
Our experiment should occur this spring, and we hope to publish the results this summer. If successful, we hope to begin full implementation and conversion to a vle (where appropriate) in the fall. If you have more questions, just let me know - and of course we are open to any advice or suggestions anyone else has. We want this to be a good, theoretically sound, well run experiment.
Thanks.

[Dr. Joel Gendelman]

Dear Dr. Cavin. Thank you for your contribution. I am very interested in your work and please let me know how your study progresses and the results. My only recommendation is that time and time again the literature has indicated it is not the media that is used that makes the difference, but how well its unique capabilities are employed.
Glynn Cavin, Ph. D., Colonel, USAF (Ret.) said:

We are researching the use of immersive virtual learning enviornment as an enhanced delivery method of an existing highway worker safety course. We chose this course because it is a well-estabished half day course, that currently uses table top exercises to reinforce learning transfer. We will conduct approximately 10 classes, 20 participants per class, half will be control, half treatment. We will conduce pre and post surveys and tests, and measure a number of factors, primarily if there is acceptance, usability, effectiveness of the vle. We are in the methodology design stage now, and have met with vle technical experts, sponsors, and content/training managers. We have also spoken with a number of experts in this area (such as Dr. Tony O'Driscoll, Duke), and have conducted an extensive lit review. We have also developed our logic model.
We are intentionally keeping the vle simple, and will make the participant/simulation interface as easy to use as possible, most likely using a game controller. We want the participants focus to be on the simulation, and not the hardware. Although there have been many studies on this subject, we believe few (if any) have looked at as diverse a group of participants as we will. The results should be interesting.
I believe the key is to minimize the differences in the course content and traditional classroom part of the delivery, make the vle simple and easy to use, make sure the technical types and the course designers fully integrate their efforts, and make sure you have a well developed and fully understood logic model so that you understand the outcomes you want to achieve.
Our experiment should occur this spring, and we hope to publish the results this summer. If successful, we hope to begin full implementation and conversion to a vle (where appropriate) in the fall. If you have more questions, just let me know - and of course we are open to any advice or suggestions anyone else has. We want this to be a good, theoretically sound, well run experiment.
Thanks.

[Dr. Amy Blom]

Good morning,

I have two perspectives on virtual learning. I received my PhD from Capella University, within is in a 90% virtual environment, and it enabled me to interact with others from around the world every day, not just those living near the local university. To be able to converse with a high school teacher in Zimbabwe, an HR professional in China, and myself about an assignment was invaluable. This environment was perfect for my learning style, although I agree that it is not necessarily suited to everyone's learning style.

The second perspective is a professional one. I have developed and implemented virtual training courses in several environments, and they can work very well. There are some very key points to remember, though. I have found the number of users needs to remain very small, 4-5 people works the best, because the team can interact without leaving some out of the conversation. The learners need to be more on the self-sufficient side, it is not the right method for all learners, and it is often difficult to determine their learning style prior to conducting the course. They must be willing to interact on their own on their end. I think the most critical point is that the facilitator MUST be an expert in this type of facilitation. They must be able to interact with each participant every few minutes, be very adept at using online environments to share control of the screen and see what others are doing, and keep control while keeping a good pace of the course, all within a workshop environment. Someone 'talking to' everyone else over the phone while moving their mouse just doesn't cut it. I have seen too many instructors who just don't have the right skills, yet they insist they can conduct a virtual session properly, and I see the failure happening almost immediately. The facilitator also needs to be able to follow up in the future, when someone has a question from the session, so there is a continuous learning cycle after the session.

Overall, the virtual environment is not the best learning environment for all, but in some situations it is very economical, efficient, and does transfer knowledge properly. This is the same as with any learning environment, there are those who thrive in the classroom, online, or on-the-job. The trick is to bring enough of those environments to everyone within the one environment you are working in to meet their learning requirements.

[Dr. Joel Gendelman]

Dear Amy, I enjoyed reading your thoughtful comment.

Joel
Dr. Amy Blom said:

Good morning,

I have two perspectives on virtual learning. I received my PhD from Capella University, within is in a 90% virtual environment, and it enabled me to interact with others from around the world every day, not just those living near the local university. To be able to converse with a high school teacher in Zimbabwe, an HR professional in China, and myself about an assignment was invaluable. This environment was perfect for my learning style, although I agree that it is not necessarily suited to everyone's learning style.

The second perspective is a professional one. I have developed and implemented virtual training courses in several environments, and they can work very well. There are some very key points to remember, though. I have found the number of users needs to remain very small, 4-5 people works the best, because the team can interact without leaving some out of the conversation. The learners need to be more on the self-sufficient side, it is not the right method for all learners, and it is often difficult to determine their learning style prior to conducting the course. They must be willing to interact on their own on their end. I think the most critical point is that the facilitator MUST be an expert in this type of facilitation. They must be able to interact with each participant every few minutes, be very adept at using online environments to share control of the screen and see what others are doing, and keep control while keeping a good pace of the course, all within a workshop environment. Someone 'talking to' everyone else over the phone while moving their mouse just doesn't cut it. I have seen too many instructors who just don't have the right skills, yet they insist they can conduct a virtual session properly, and I see the failure happening almost immediately. The facilitator also needs to be able to follow up in the future, when someone has a question from the session, so there is a continuous learning cycle after the session.

Overall, the virtual environment is not the best learning environment for all, but in some situations it is very economical, efficient, and does transfer knowledge properly. This is the same as with any learning environment, there are those who thrive in the classroom, online, or on-the-job. The trick is to bring enough of those environments to everyone within the one environment you are working in to meet their learning requirements.

[Liz Keever]

Hi Dr. Gendelman,

I presented a paper at the International Conference on Knowledge, Culture and Change in Organizations last year on the use of video learning with user-generated content. User generated video content (like a YouTube) is handled well by Microsoft on their PKS platform (Podcasting Kit on SharePoint) although other platforms are possible. This is a highly-engaging way to build community and share knowledge from SME's and from leaders. The community self-monitors (along with help from the software) to keep content of high-quality.

I designed and teach a blended learning solution that is entirely virtual. My suggestion is: Build in 1x1 coaching for each participant and let the participants facilitate more than the instructor.

[Glynn Cavin, Ph. D., Colonel, USAF (Ret.)]

Good morning everyone - I enjoyed reading each of the comments. One thing that becomes apparent even with just these contributions in the lack of common agreement on terms. For example, the use of the phrase "being in or, teaching in" the virual world is pretty broad. Some might see this phrase in a very narrow perspective of being in the immersive 3D virtual world of the massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) enviroment, where others might include any online activity, such as chat rooms. I totally agree with Dr. Blom's comments about restricting the normal computer based training class size to the number of proctors and/or instructors available. I believe a ratio of 1 to 4 is workable - but that number could go up or down depending on the nature of the material. Although not taught in the virtual world, we find that restricting our PC classes to 10 students per instructor is a good idea.
I also agree with Ms. Keever's comments. It is especially important that the course content, and the instructor's teaching style be modified to account for the unique requirements of teaching in the virtual world. You can't just take a traditional classroom, instructor-centric course and plug it into the cyber world and expect good results. Traditional college courses taught over compressed video to distant sites, by reluctant professors unwilling to modify their teaching style has gone a long way in ruining the reputation of a perfectly good medium when used correctly. But when enlightened instructors, instructional designers, and technicians come together - teaching in the virtual world can work great. It is all in the attitude.
I will be able to speak with more authority on course size for an immersive virtual learning environment after our research is complete this summer.

[Dr. Joel Gendelman]

Sorry for not responding sooner, that you for your advice. I agree with the importance of creating 1X1 interaction.

Joel

Liz Keever said:

Hi Dr. Gendelman,

I presented a paper at the International Conference on Knowledge, Culture and Change in Organizations last year on the use of video learning with user-generated content. User generated video content (like a YouTube) is handled well by Microsoft on their PKS platform (Podcasting Kit on SharePoint) although other platforms are possible. This is a highly-engaging way to build community and share knowledge from SME's and from leaders. The community self-monitors (along with help from the software) to keep content of high-quality.

I designed and teach a blended learning solution that is entirely virtual. My suggestion is: Build in 1x1 coaching for each participant and let the participants facilitate more than the instructor.

[Mike Petersell]

At the beginning of this year we launched a new onboarding program for sales reps that is conducted virtually. There are 9 modules that comprise three units of the program. Each module is conducting over a week. At the beginning of the week, participants download an activity guide and complete the required activities prior to participating in a mid-week and end-of-week virtual classroom session. The program works very well. The key to our success has been that there is a dedicated facilitator who runs the program the same way as you would have someone run a live classroom program. We also track and report activity points for all the participants, this helps them to stay motivated in between the virtual classroom sessions.

Best of luck to you in your new endeavor.

Mike Petersell
Many Ways to Learn
http://mwtl.blogspot.com

[Susan Franzen]

I've had several years experience in conducting interactive webinars and I agree with many of the comments I've read here. It's not about slapping up a powerpoint and talking through it. The program MUST be interactive and it MUST provide 1x1 attention to the participants. I think the programs that allow thousands of users who are muted to listen to people talk should be reserved for marketing purposes as they don't promote learning.

We're piloting a mentoring program next month that will be held in an interactive webinar version and a Second Life version. We'll track the participant's level of engagement and learning outcomes. If anyone has done something similar, I'd love to hear their lessons learned.

[Dr. Joel Gendelman]

These are some very good ideas. I agree that communications needs to move in both directions and that a skilled facilitator needs to be actively involved. I particularly like Susan's plans for measuring engagement. How will you do that?

[Dr. Joel Gendelman]

If you are interested in virtual presentations, here is a link to an article that you may enjoy.