It is time now for final reflections on FLOTE’s maiden and subsequent voyage.
Conole & Oliver (2007, p.81) state that,
…many early e-learning [online] innovations have failed precisely because they did not take account of pedagogical and organisational issues, concentrating too much on the technical aspects.
On its first two voyages SS FLOTE floundered and ran aground. The extent to which this outcome was because of a failure to adequately take account of pedagogical and organisational issues with too great a concentration on the technical aspects of the programme must now be considered.
The FLOTE design team and project consultative groups were acutely aware of issues associated with the emerging area of online pedagogy. Actions undertaken to address these issues have been described in detail in this dissertation in Chapter 4. Site design had at its core the support of learning and teaching. Key principles that were adhered to included easy on the eye, easy to use, easy and flexible in terms of participant access. Programme and module design were informed by contemporary
understandings of second language acquisition, second language teaching, constructivist theory in learning and the significance of reflective practice in
supporting teacher change and development. It was thought that developing FLOTE with this focus on sound pedagogical principles would be a huge advantage for participant teachers. Within the context of this study, however, this was not the case.
Most participants were reluctant to engage deeply and were resistant to the use of e-journals to record and then reflect on their learning. For most this was not what they wanted at all. Most participants wanted highly structured learning, easy, and easy to accomplish tasks, and designated timelines for completion. They did not want the
challenge, and the freedom and flexibility that we thought we ought to provide and that our participants deserved.
With respect to organisation, did we take account of the issues that needed to be accommodated? There were certainly a number of organisation problems, particularly in the second year, and particularly related to the size of the group. Organising and facilitating a large group of online learners proved difficult, taxing and time consuming. The roles and responsibilities were numerous and often onerous and demanding (as can be sensed from the frustration occasionally evident in my journal extracts). Facilitators were required to do the following:
Maintain the site.
Update and innovate with respect to module content.
Manage the different personalities within the participant group, (including the
nurturing of reluctant participants, the reigning in of those wishing to dominate, and the tempering of the attention seekers).
Initiate, direct and monitor online conversations, both synchronous and
asynchronous.
Respond to questions from participants via email, phone, chat and forum.
Assess and provide feedback on e-journals
What is demonstrated in this study is that to effectively take account of organisational issues and organisational complexity in large online learning programmes is
manifestly difficult.
With respect to technology, yes there were issues. As evidenced through the TNA data, many participants had very low levels of technological literacy and this was, no
doubt, a factor in some cases. More significant, however, were the technological
‘glitches’ that marred the running of the programme, particularly in the second year.
These have been described in detail within this dissertation and they were responsible for many participants either giving up or becoming immensely frustrated. As
significant as they were, however, these technological issues are perhaps better described as ‘teething problems’ rather than being a reflection of an over emphasis on the technical aspects of the programme to the detriment of pedagogical
considerations.
So where does this bring us? At journey’s end it has to be acknowledged that those of us who built FLOTE and attempted to navigate her initial voyages, together with the participants, were either altruistic or naïve. There was a strong belief that the
‘passengers’ really would be able to manage their own learning, that they would enjoy this new challenge, be able to ‘take the tiller’, and assume control of their own
professional destinies. This was not the case.
7.5. Conclusion
In the years since the data were collected for this study in excess of 600 passengers have made the journey on SS FLOTE. There is less freedom for today’s passengers.
FLOTE participants are now given a specific order in which to undertake modules, specific guidelines for completion of all requirements, and specific submission dates for tasks and e-journals (some of which are now completed as voice threads or through video link). In addition, educational jurisdictions who sponsor their teachers to undertake FLOTE are advised not to provide financial support / subsides to FLOTE participants until after programme completion. There is therefore more control
exercised over FLOTE participants. More direction is provided and there is less expectation with respect to the capacity of participants to self-direct.
There continues, however, to be a drop out rate. Participants still ‘sink’. Isolation and disconnection and a heavy workload continue to be part of the lived experience of FLOTE, and these, together with participant dependency, continue to be issues for FLOTE and for other online programmes that have proliferated in recent years.
Facilitator workload also continues to be a concern with FLOTE, and this too is an issue for other online initiatives.
There is now, however, significant data supporting the quality of the journey for those participants who do not abandon ship. Many who FLOTE now ‘float’. The
experiences of FLOTEing or sinking during those initial voyages have served to provide insights and ongoing warnings with respect to online learning journeys.
Appendices
Appendix 1:
Gilligan’s Island revamped theme songAppendix 2:
Sample Online Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) SurveyAppendix 3:
Sample Content Management System (CMS)Appendix 1: Gilligan’s Island Revamped Theme Song
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, A tale of an online course
That started in Western Australia, And serves as my data source.
The first facilitator was a mighty nerd, The second a LOTE guru,
Many teachers enrolled in A six month tour
A six month tour…
The participants started getting tough, In action and in speech.
If not for the courage of the facilitators, FLOTE would be beached.
FLOTE would be beached.
FLOTE came aground in spite of this In the second year,
With Hadithi, and Tracey too, The Italian teachers and their wives, The Japanese, Indonesians,
Oh how they did rile
So this is the tale of the FLOTIES, Some lost for a long, long time
We have had to make the best of things, It's been an uphill climb.
The facilitator and her second too, Will do their very best,
To make the ones left comfortable, And bugger all the rest.
No phone calls! No letters! Not even emails!
Not a single communication,
Like being on hold to Telstra, we are full of frustration.
So join us here each week my friends, You’re sure to get a smile,
From the still stranded FLOTIES, Here for a very long while.
Original theme song available here:
http://www.geocities.com/rickanddarvagossip/gilliganthemesong.html
Appendix 2: Sample Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) Online Survey
(Slowinski, 2000) http://www.chadwick-k12.com/ssetna/43
Screen snapshot 1: Top of Home Page and start of survey
Screen snapshot 2: Partway through survey, Views on educational technology
43 Site no longer available
Screen snapshot 3: Further through survey, Assessment of own computer skills.
The SSETNA survey was very comprehensive but perhaps a little long for our purposes.
Appendix 3: Content Management System Samples
Screen snapshot 4: CMS home page
Screen snapshot 5: Monitoring results filtered for people and modules in Excel
Screen snapshot 6: Sample data from Excel (first year)
Names hidden for confidentiality
Names hidden for confidentiality
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