Motivation and Support for Online Learners and Instructors

       Online students, more than traditional students, need to be autonomous and take responsibility for their learning, involving organization, motivation, and a sense of confidence.

       But how can online educators enhance motivation and support for online learners? Based on my journey as an online student, I have considered some of the techniques, tools, and strategies I learned and integrated into my online course to make the experience successful. One effective way to motivate students online involves connecting the lesson to the “real world.” Something as simple as a beginning lesson with an online class discussion relating the topic to something relevant in the news or engaging in role-playing by having students apply current concepts to hypothetical situations. Either of these techniques could be carried out in a chat room through student discussion, which will engage the student with each other and the subject material. In my opinion, it is crucial that students not just have ownership of their learning but also that they enjoy the process. Tools, such as e-learning, mobile applications, and various personalized learning environments also help to make the topic of the lesson more relevant and applicable to students’ day to day lives.

       As an online educator, I want to facilitate enjoyment by trying to make my lessons fun. One thing I have learned through online learning is that when an instructor provides chances for exploration into a subject, it increased my interest in the learning process. “Within a learning environment, it is important for learners to have opportunities for exploration and manipulation to foster the construction of knowledge” (Jonassen, (1999). Encouraging a sense of community is necessary to promote engagement, interaction, and collaboration, which are all factors that contribute to the student's success. Feelings of isolation, frustration, and disconnection can discourage a student and become so overwhelming that the student gives up. “Excellent online learning environments are comprised of elements of behavioral learning theory, cognitive learning theory, and social learning theory” (Johnson, & Aragon, (2003). When designing my online class, I want to ensure to include these theories. The lessons should contain positive reinforcement, present new information in motivating ways, encourage group interaction and feedback.

       Rather than my students thinking that I am just a “talking head” that passes information to them, I want to use innovation and creativity to implement the power of technology in the classroom.

References

Johnson, S. D., and Aragon, S. R. (2003). An instructional strategy framework for online learning environments. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2003: 31-43. doi:10.1002/ace.117

Jonassen, D.H. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory. Vol. II (pp. 215–240). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates