Asynchronous Learning Tools in the Traditional Classroom-A Preliminary Study on Their Effect
James E. Novitzki
Asynchronouslearning (ASL) tools are being used at colleges and universities in many countries around the world. but the majority ofimplementations in the United States are to enhance or support the traditional classroom environment rather than to provide stand alone asynchronouson-line classes. This paper presents a succinct review ofsome major issues that have caused this situation. It then looks at ways that one ASL tool, Blackboard, is used at one school to support traditional courses. This paper looks atforty-three Blackboardsupported courses to determine if the use ofthe ASL tool has any significant effect on learning and the learning environment by analyzing differences in several quantitative measures. Theconclusionsnote thathigh useofthe ASLtool insupporting class results inan improvement in thelearningenvironmentbasedonsignificantchanges in three quantitative measures. Thestudy alsopresents a brief review ofqualitative comments that highlight student concerns about the use ofASL tools, which include increased workload andfeelings ofisolation as more and more class interaction occurs on-line. Instructor feedback reveals continuing high work loads, needfor increased computer skills and use, high demandfor rapid response to students, and required modification ofcourses for each level ofASL use and as the software is updated. The paper ends with a discussion of some important issuesfor thoseplanning to useASL tools to augmentor support traditional courses and areas for further research and study and provides an extensive bibliography.
James E. Novitzki is an associate professor and chair of the Information Technology Department in the School of Professional Studies in Business and Education at Johns Hopkins University. He teaches several courses that use asynchronous learning tools as a method of augmenting and supporting the classroom environment. Dr. Novitzki is the author of numerous articles discussing critical areas of concernin IT education. He has madeseveralpresentations at international conferences and has published six articles examining the various methodsof asynchronous learning, the tools employed, and their impact on the student, the instructor, and the curriculum both in graduate and undergraduate programs.
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