Buckley 1 Elena Buckley Dr.

Erin Dietel-McLaughlin FA11-WR-13300-01 14 November 2011 The Online World: Its Supplemental Advantages to a College Students Learning Most students perceive a computers uses as being beneficial to learning, while some educators argue that the internet distracts learning. Although the availability of internet sites can impede studying, the combination of all the advantages that the internet offers outweigh the negatives. The introduction of computers has not only enhanced learning in classrooms, but has also shaped a new form of learning that benefits the student. The emergence of the online world at universities has strengthened the way in which college students learn through internet based faculty-to-student and student-to-student communication, the availability of course notes and lectures online, expanding participation and reflection through the variety of blogs, and developing a knowledge of the universities larger community. This paper will discuss each of these possibilities in more detail in order to illustrate how responsible integration of Internet technologies in college curricula can support, not hinder, learning. When a prospective college student begins to pack for his or her first year at a university there is one item that cannot be left at home: a computer. People use computers on college campuses in many ways: note taking, listening to music, uploading pictures, organizing a planner, and finally accessing the internet. The introduction of laptops into classrooms was not instantaneous because of a variety of reasons. Computers are expensive, not many people knew how to use them, and educators needed to be persuaded that laptop use was beneficial to a

Buckley 2 students learning. The article A strategic plan for ubiquitous laptop computing outlines Wake Forest Universitys plan to implement laptop use in classrooms. The decision was made because studies showed that the internet provided innovative ways to use multimedia presentations and engaging computer interactivity (Brown, Burg, Dominick 26). In the mid-1990s other universities were also noticing the advantages of the internet and the beneficial learning it would lead to in the 21st century. To begin this project the university gave every freshman in 1996 a computer. Similar to other universities, Wake Forest offered online access either through Ethernet or wireless connection. This allowed students to use the internet almost anywhere on campus. Other universities replicated this model and computers became ubiquitous on college campuses (Brown, Burg, Dominick). Could you imagine a world where you could not contact people through email? Think about the amount of emails you send a day. As much as it has changed how people communicate, it has also changed how teachers and students interact. Before computers were a common place on college campuses, student-to-teacher communication only took place either in class or during a teachers office hours. In the 21st century generation teachers and students have had extremely busy schedules. Then with the introduction of email, these two parties found another way to communicate. In William J. Zellers article he references a specific study done by Robert Kvavik in which students found that communication through email was not only easier, but increasingly faster. Students are receiving feedback from their teachers more quickly than through formal conferences. In the same article Zeller mentions research by the University of California, which finds a large connection between students who emailed their teachers and those who meet with their teachers face-to-face. Students who emailed their teachers became more

Buckley 3 inclined to set up face-to-face meetings during a teachers office hours. Zeller also supports that email communication produces a less formal environment. Moreover, students become more willing to contact faculty members because they have a sense of comfort with the setting (Zeller). Combining these two factors, the sense of comfort and the speed of communication, shows how students are gaining knowledge from contacting their teachers through email. The more a student interacts with his or her educator, the more questions asked and the more answers received. A first year college student is told the first couple of weeks of school some suggestions from upper class students. One piece of advice that is repeated by older students is to take advantage of a teachers office hours. Not only does this time allow a student to get to know the teacher, but it also can lead to some very educational discussions. With email, students are now able to have similar conversations, but in a different environment. Also as stated earlier, online communication via email increases a students chances of meeting with a teacher face to face. Either form of contact allows students to gain more knowledge from their professors. While some students view the informality of email communication as a benefit, some educators argue that this atmosphere hinders the students learning process. In contrast to Zellers support of email communication, Kerri K. Stephens et al states that emails causes a student to feel a little too comfortable, leading to overly casual email messages (Stephens et al). These overly casual informal writings undermines the students credibility in the eyes of the teacher. According to Stephens, instructors dislike it when students use shortcut words and incomplete sentences (Stephens et al). However, Stephens study focusses on content and does not look the context of the email as part of a larger dialogue. The fact that students are seeking out help from

Buckley 4 their teachers is more important than the literal content of the email. It is not the specific words that matter, but the act of contacting teachers and pursuing further knowledge of the course material. While individual communication between students and teachers can happen through email, teachers can share course material to the entire class through posting information online. There are online programs like Blackboard in which teachers can share with their students Powerpoints, webcasts, podcasts, and notes. More specifically access to class lectures in webcast or podcast formats allow students to re-watch class discussions. In the article Impact of Class Lecture Webcasting on Attendance and Learning the authors state that students can review online postings of lectures at their own pace, anytime, anywhere, and as often as they choose Traphagan et al).This article further claims that students then process the content of the lectures more thoroughly. Traphagans theory on the benefits of online postings is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem that students must deal with while in lectures. Tara L. Cornelius and Jamie Owen-DeSchryver address in their article that students fail to record up to 50% of relevant lecture information (Cornelius and Owen-DeSchryver 6). Online posting of lectures allow students to gather information that they either completely missed or were confused about in class. Lectures are not the only posts that teachers can provide online. Online attachments can also include documents or PDFs in which teachers personal notes can be uploaded. On sites like Blackboard students can not only view lectures, but download personal course notes posted by the teacher. In lectures students become too focused on writing everything down and then quickly moving on to the next topic. The day before a class the teacher

Buckley 5 can upload his or her own notes. Students can then print out these notes and bring them to class the following day. Coming prepared to class already with a set of notes increases a students actual engagement. The student will focus more closely on understanding what the teacher is saying rather than copying verbatim the lecture. Cornelius and Owen-DeSchryver have also suggested that when instructors provide lecture notes, students should have fewer transcription errors and omissions (Cornelius, Owen-DeSchryver 6). Similar to lectures, a teachers set of notes increases a students engagement in the course material. These students are now able to participate in class lectures without having the pressure to take down copious notes. Educators have argued, though, that the availability of lectures or notes reduces a students class attendance. Traphagan et al, Cornelius and Owen-DeSchryver address this consequence in their research. In Traphagans article he references a study done by Brotherton and Abowd. Brotherton and Abowd collected data on two different groups of students that had access to class lectures via webcasts and those who did not. They then recorded the attendance for both groups. Brotherton and Abowd found that this online access webcasts of lectures did account for more skipped classes (Traphagan et al). In the study done by Cornelius and OwenDeSchryver there were three groups of students. One group of students was not provided any notes prior to class lectures, one group was given a partial set of notes, and the third group of was given a full set of notes. Each group was then tested on the material throughout the course and then given a final. The study found that the group given the partial notes had the highest grades. The students without notes prior to class did as expected. The group given a full set of notes did the poorest because their class attendance decreased over time (Cornelius, OwenDeSchryver)

Buckley 6 While both these studies did prove a decline in a students attendance, there were some students whose performance increased. This increase in performance is contingent on the amount of notes that was provided. In the study done by Cornelius and Owen-DeSchryver the decline in attendance only correlated to students who received a full set of notes. There were students who did benefit from being provided with partial notes rather than no notes at all (Cornelius, OwenDeSchryver). The results of this study can also be applied to lectures, and which type of lectures are appropriate for increasing learning. To benefit the student, teachers should post partial lectures online. With incomplete lectures students will still be required to attend class, but have access to part of the lectures that were either too confusing or very detailed. Both partial lectures or partial notes have the ability to boost a students learning through being prepared prior to class, engaging the student during class, or allowing the student to review information after class. Another online source that brings students and teachers together outside the classrooms is blogs. Blogs are websites that are public to the people and only need internet connection to be accessed. The creator of the blog has control of the specific layout and features, but anyone can post responses onto the blog. These responses allow the public to answer questions, comment on topics, or share any additional information. This type of online source can be easily applied to a classroom setting. Robyn MacBride and April Lynn Luehmann address in their article that blogs allow the teacher to extend learning outside classroom walls (Macbride, Luehmann). When a student leaves the classroom for the day most of the time the only material that they will be following up on is the homework for the next day. The digital environment for which the blog is located makes the classroom readily available at anytime. Not only does a blog broaden the classroom, but it further expands the learning for students. Macbride and Luehmann claim in

Buckley 7 their article that shy students value the blog because they are more inclined to participate. Moreover, in Teaching Technologies: Strategies and Pitfalls, Julie Meloni also claims that blogs allow expression of knowledge from students that may never had a chance to speak during class time (Meloni). Similar to blogs, the online social networking site Facebook allows students to connect with their classmates. The applications of Facebook have continued to develop from when it was first created by Mark Zuckerburg and other Harvard students in 2004. Uneducated consumers of Facebook only use it to view and comment on pictures. Conversely Facebook has many features including: Messages, Events, Groups, Notes, Photos, and Pages. For students and faculty members Groups and Messages are the most beneficial. The Group application can be set up by any person with a Facebook account. The creator of the group can add other members, but all of which of must also be Facebook users. Within the Group, members can add photos, videos, comments, and documents. In my senior year of high school one of the students in my AP Calculus BC class set up a Facebook Group. Within the Group titled Mayfield Calculus members including myself could post questions on homework problems, respond to homework questions, post pictures of a problem worked out, confirm test dates, or post videos to helpful links. Since most of the questions assigned for homework were very difficult, having access to this group eased the homework process each night. In the beginning of the year when the page had yet to be created my classmates and I would wait until the next day to have our teacher explain the solution. However, after the Group page was set up we students worked harder. Knowing there was a source we could go to for immediate help, we pushed ourselves to try to find the right answer to each assigned problem even if we were unsuccessful.

Buckley 8 Another Facebook application allows different departments within a college to expand learning outside the classroom. The Event application can be used by the college departments to promote readings from authors, performances, lectures, or other educational events. The article Findings on Facebook in higher education: A comparison of college faculty and student uses and perceptions of social networking sites refers to how the Southern Illinois Universitys College of Business at Carbondale uses Facebook to communicate and market school events as well as activities to students and alumni (Herman et al). Again faculty members have found another way to incorporate Facebook into their school community. Not only has Facebook made it easier to promote social events, but it is also free. Students can use Facebook to keep up-todate with the variety of events and even find other people who are planning to attend such events. Students become more inclined to go to lectures or readings if they know other classmates are going to. These certain social events broaden a students sources of learning from not only being within a classroom. Using the internet is beneficial to a students learning if it used in the right way. Teachers should not just allow the use of computers in the classroom and just see what the student can do with it. Students will only benefit if the teacher correctly applies blogs, groups, notes, and other sites to their course. Teachers do not need to use every online source that has been mentioned in their classroom, but one or two of the programs used in the right way will supplement a college students learning. According to Jing Lei, he mentions that the quality of technology use is more critical to student outcomes than the quantity (Lei 458). The importance is that the online sources are carried out in the correct way even if the amount of use is very minimal. Students in

Buckley 9 the 21st century are connected to the internet constantly. Therefore teachers should take advantage of this additional source and effectively integrate it into their classes.

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Works Cited Brown, DG, JJ Burg, and JL Dominick. A Strategic Plan for Ubiquitous Laptop Computing. Communications of the ACM Jan. 1998: 26-35. Web of Science. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. Luehmann, April Lynn, and Robyn MacBride. Capitalizing on emerging technologies: a case study of classroom blogging. School Science and Mathematics 108.5 (2008): n. pag. Gale Science in Context. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. Meloni, Julie. Technologies for Teaching: Strategies and Pitfalls. Education Digest 76.8 (2011): 23-27. Academic Research Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. Roblyer, M.D., et al. Findings on Facebook in Higher Education: A Comparison of College Faculty and Student Uses and Perceptions of Social Networking Sites. Internet & Higher Education 13.3 (2010): 134-140. Academic Research Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. Stephens, Keri K, Marian L Houser, and Renee L Cowan. R U Able to Meat Me: The Impact of Students Overly Casual Email Messages to Instructors. Communication Education 58.3 (2009): 303-326. Academic Research Premier. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. Traphagan, Tomoko, John Kucsera, and Kyoko Kishi. Impact of class lecture webcasting on attendance and learning. Educational Technology Research & Development 58.1 (2010): 19-37. Academic Research Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. Zeller, William J. Living Learning Programs in the Digital Age. Journal Of College & University Student Housing 35.1 (2008): 66-37. Academic Research Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.