E-Pedagogy: the pedagogies of e-learning

Wassila Naamani Mehanna

doi:10.3402/rlt.v12i3.11259

Abstract

The aim of this research was to establish effective e-learning practice in higher education. This was achieved by looking at examples of different pedagogic techniques employed in several cases. The effectiveness of these techniques was established by looking at the students’ outcomes on these courses. This study has adopted a sequential mixed methodology characterized by an initial phase of qualitative data collection and analysis, which was followed by a phase of quantitative data collection and analysis. The first phase of the study involved collecting a year of data from a postgraduate programme. A grounded approach was used to analyse one million words of online conferences or discussions, and led to the emergence of 29 pedagogic behaviours. These pedagogic behaviours were then developed into a coding instrument. The second phase, hypothetico-deductive analysis, confirmed their presence in three other cases, five million words of online interactions, and established their associations with students’ learning and outcomes. The findings suggest seven clusters of pedagogies correlated with students’ grades and the effect size calculation revealed an educational significance for all of them. This indicates that if they are employed in online classrooms they are likely to enhance students’ learning and outcomes.DOI: 10.1080/0968776042000259582

Highlights

Despite an increased interest in the use of e-learning to enhance students’ learning, it is surprising that so little research has been conducted to justify these claims. Goodyear (2001) concluded: ‘the literature on learning in higher education is surprisingly quiet with respect to what both lay people and practitioners might expect to be a key construct—that of “understanding”’ (p. 62)
Twenty-nine strategies and pedagogic behaviours emerged from students–students and students–tutors interactions
This mixed methods multi-case study research has purposely focused on the pedagogic aspect of e-learning in higher education

Summary

Introduction

Despite an increased interest in the use of e-learning to enhance students’ learning, it is surprising that so little research has been conducted to justify these claims. Goodyear (2001) concluded: ‘the literature on learning in higher education is surprisingly quiet with respect to what both lay people and practitioners might expect to be a key construct—that of “understanding”’ (p. 62). Despite an increased interest in the use of e-learning to enhance students’ learning, it is surprising that so little research has been conducted to justify these claims. Goodyear (2001) concluded: ‘the literature on learning in higher education is surprisingly quiet with respect to what both lay people and practitioners might expect to be a key construct—that of “understanding”’ Another confirmation was put forward by Spector (2002), who reported: ‘the big lesson about technology and learning from the 20th century is that less is known about how people learn than many educational researchers are inclined to admit’

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion