The theory and practice of online teaching and learning: a guide for academic professionals is a free book sponsored by Routledge which compiles a series of chapters related to the topic and offers teachers advice and instructions on how to deliver an online course and also invites us to reflect on its constant development. Throughout the book Ko et al. (n.d.) explore basic features and challenges of online teaching.
In the first chapter, Ko and Rossen (2010) address the readers in a kind and friendly way. They explain the difference between teaching online and teaching in a classroom. In this part, the differences made are clear and easy to understand. This chapter provides useful concepts for teachers and online instructors. At this point Ko and Rossen explain the importance of body language and remark that an online instructor should be able to read the students’ faces behind the screen and interpret his/her words carefully. Moreover, Ko and Rossen discuss the idea of support personnel and training when a person wants to start delivering an online course. In this part the authors’ ideas are dismissive as regards online teaching. This feeling arises because Ko and Rossen argue that it is difficult to acquire knowledge on computer use. In contrast, after the following sub-title, Ko and Rossen become extremely positive about being a computer expert. Additionally, Ko and Rossen state that there are several benefits in being an online instructor. For instance, online courses help you become aware “of what we are actually doing in the classroom” (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p.13). To conclude this chapter, Ko and Rossen add that online education allows the exchange of ideas involving people all around the world without the cost and difficulty of travelling.
The second chapter is related to orientations in online teaching and learning. Sosulski and Vai (2011) mention key characteristics of teaching online and state the difference between teaching online and teaching onsite. The presented list, on page 17, makes these differences clear. The cited ideas are easy to understand and are developed using simple vocabulary. Similarly, in this chapter, differences between asynchronous and synchronous learning are described. Sosulski and Vai state that “asynchronous learning is more flexible than real-time learning” (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p. 20). The table on page 22 is undoubtedly helpful for those who are not still familiar with online courses. Their ideas and advice are outstanding, nevertheless, throughout this chapter concepts become too repetitive.
Although the introduction of the third chapter encourages the reader to use e-tivities, it does not look well organized. At the beginning, when Salmon (2012) states that E-tivities enable enjoyable and productive online learning for the greatest number of participants at the lowest cost (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p. 29) it seems like the author expresses himself in a very informal way. Likewise, on page 35 Salmon keeps repeating the same idea but using other words. In addition, it would have been better if the chart named “who’s who in e-activities” had been placed at the beginning of the chapter since it explains key terms that are previously mentioned in this part. Besides, Salmon’s ideas seem to be contradictory since he first claims that the majority of teachers do not have the necessary skills or the time to spend producing texts and videos. The words used in this part are overly strong and negative. Indeed, in the conclusion Salmon assert that:
To be successful in designing and running e-tivities you will need some passion and commitment…It involves setting up a computer and getting the software to work to your satisfaction, which may include going cap-in hand to others for help. You may need to rethink your teaching and consider what is really important about the subject matter you want to teach. (as cited in Routledge, n. d., p.38)
Chapter 4 deals with the new variations in online learning settings, so Means, Bakia and Murphy (2014) suggest categorizing online offerings into four dimensions: context, design features, implementation and outcomes. As regards context, Means et al. consider the field of use, the provider, the breadth and the learner’s level of preparation. When dealing with design features, they take into account different types of modality, pacing, pedagogy, online communication synchrony, intended instructor and student role online, the role of online assessments and the source of feedback. Concerning implementation, the authors look at the learning location and the co-located facilitator. Additionally, the dimension of learning outcomes classifies them into cognitive, engagement, productivity and learning to learn. This chapter is well-structured and aids the reader to understand the functioning of online learning with concise information and a summary chart.
In chapter 5, Open Educational Resources (OERs) advantages are introduced. Littlejohn and Pegler (2013) focus on the significant impact of OERs in learning taking into account that they are free of charge and this has allowed more learners gain access to previously limited materials and courses. When it comes to the topic of the rise of OERs, most of us will readily agree that they give learners the possibility to be active in reusing, adding and creating materials. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is the question of equality and accessibility. Whereas some are convinced that OERs have only brought about positive changes, others maintain that they have expanded the gap between those who can access new technologies and those who still need to manage with a piece of chalk and board. However, according to Littlejohn and Pegler (2013) the real transformation in the educational field as regards OERs, has been the relational expertise skill, i.e. the ability to know who to turn to for learning support in order to coordinate learning and to benefit from each other’s knowledge. This new learning practice brings about changes in the social organization of learning, involving a transition from individual problem solving and knowledge acquisition to knowledge building negotiated with others around tasks (Littlejohn and Pegler, 2013, as cited in Routledge, n. d., p.52). Littlejohn and Pegler also put forward the different ways in which participants benefit from these new learning contexts. Among them, we can mention the change and diversification of knowledge as a consequence of joining the individual with the collective. In this chapter some examples of how OERs are reused and integrated in the textile industry or in a photography course are mentioned though it would have been more persuasive if only educational contexts had been included since the former distract the audience. The authors could have exemplified how OERs work in school life, in primary and secondary levels.
In chapter 6, Laurillard (2012) compares teaching with an art and she associates it with a design science. For both of them she identifies an underlying principle in teaching, claiming that to teach as an art involves encouraging learners to develop their personal knowledge and capabilities to create a powerful experience while she recognizes that teaching as a design science means a continuous improvement in already applications and for this, she claims, technology plays a vital role. Incidentally, Laurrilard points out the inefficacy of the educational system as a generator of technological inventions though there has been a close relationship among them. Laurillard surely is right about the urgency to master digital technologies by adapting the system since it sheds insight on the difficult problem of exploiting their power to work efficiently. If Laurrilard is right that the role of technology in the shaping of tasks depends on how teachers articulate what has to be learnt with how and reflect on the principles of teaching as a design science, as we think they are, then we need to reassess the popular assumption that digital technologies come to make our classes more entertaining rather than more effective.
This book is a basic introduction for the reader to gain acquaintance in the field of online teaching and learning. Though the ideas are clear and organized, it seems that the book is more theoretical than practical. However, someone who wants to get a general idea about this new teaching and learning environment would find this book absolutely helpful.
References
Ko, S., Vai, M., Sosulski, K., Salmon, G., Means, B., Bakia, M., Murphy, R; Littlejohn, A., Pegler, C.; & Laurillard, D. (n.d.) The theory and practice of online teaching and learning: A guide for academic professionals. In Routledge. Retrieved from https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/FreeBooks+Opened+Up/Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_FB_final.pdf
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