“Interactivity is the process that will help you become actively engaged with other learners, with the instructor, and with the material being learned. It is the key to effective e-learning because it will lead you to act on and reflect on the information and to transform it into a new personal meaning: What does this mean to me?”
– from “What is Interactivity in E-Learning”
The term “interactivity” in its original context refers to computer mediated instruction. Use of the term interactivity would not be heard in the 1800′s to describe Correspondence Courses as they grew in popularity. However, in applying a broad definition of interactivity I will attempt to point out how interactivity / interaction has evolved from Distance Education to eLearning. Driscoll and Carliner categorize the reciprocal learning exchanges of interactivity/ interaction as falling into one of three categories; learner-content, learner-instructor and learner-learner.(p337) As I trace the history of eLearning I will identify what types of interactivity / interaction were given primacy at various points in Distance Education and eLearning. I believe that by doing so one will see how eLearning has emerged and distinguished itself from its roots in Distance Learning.
Beginnings of Distance Education:
Most sources date the start of Distance Education as the early 1800′s. At this time large scale reliable mail systems allowed correspondence education to grow into a phenomenon. Correspondence courses exhibited two types of interactivity, learner-instructor and learner-content. After study of a given unit of curriculum, a student would submit their work for review by the instructor. Unlike the prevailing philosophy of our day, Constructivism, the instructor’s role was not that of guide on the side. Rather, the instructor was the expert. The learner was expected to absorb the transmitted knowledge through the study (and often times rote memorization) of materials presented. There was no learner-learner interaction planned in the correspondence study and limited learner-instructor interactions.
Early 1900′s – the rise of Radio and Film:
Radio and Film were two new mediums emerging in the 1900′s. Each gave great hope for new ways of presenting engaging educational opportunities. There was rapid growth of educational radio programs during this time. Many felt this new medium held the capacity to transform education as it was known. Unfortunately, interest in these radio programs dropped off quickly. By 1847 few were left broadcasting. Film maintained a larger, long standing presence in the realm of education. While never supplanting traditional classroom education it became a standard supplement to classroom teaching. Both film and radio are forms of transmission. Unless the instruction was delivered in a classroom setting the interaction was limited to learner-content. Given a classroom setting these two new mediums could be used to initiate learner-learner, or learner-instructor interaction. However, on their own these new mediums did not break from an educational philosophy of knowledge transmission.
Early 1980′s Computer Based Training (CBT) and Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI):
There are probably a few other terms used to describe the type of early learning with computers phase of distance learning. These early ventures into computer mediated learning environments focused on using the computer as a delivery mechanism. Initially, instruction was designed to interact with the learner without the need of a human presence on the other end. While the computer programs mimicked instructor response, the interactivity was essentially learner – content. CBT and CAI were costly to develop. The need for more effective means of eLearning that combined missing elements of learner-learner and learner-instructor interactivity was desired.
Late 1990′s Learner Management Systems (LMS), Blended Learning Solutions and Instructor Led Training (ILT):
Learner Management Systems such as Blackboard, eCollege and Moodle stepped in to fill the gap in interactivity and provide for tracking of eEducation. These systems provided ways for learner-learner interactions to occur in forums mediated by instructors. Such systems provided a format for interactivity that encompassed all three levels of interactivity; learner-learner, learner-content and learner-instructor. This is not to say that use of the tools meant all classes on these platforms contained high degrees of interactivity. Rather, these platforms were developed to contain and track these interactions. Blended learning was another form of learning that hoped to fill in the missing learner-learner and learner-instructor interactions of prior CBT and CAI instruction. Blended learning uses technologies in the traditional face to face classroom, or provides eLearning content in conjunction with face to face class time. Typically, the face to face class time supplements the missing learner-learner interactions and learner-instructor interaction of the accompanying eLearning content. Finally, Instructor Led Training (ILT), environments were developed that sought to replicate the traditional classroom using various forms of technology as the medium. “Live” instruction takes place via conferencing tools. An instructor leads the class. Various levels of interaction between learners-learner, learner-content and learner-instructor can be planned within ILT.
2000 eLearning of today:
There is a consensus today that there should be methodologies and strategies developed specifically for eLearning. Interactivity as a defined topic of study has come into its own. As eLearning environments are designed, consideration for addressing the complete need for interactivity on all three fronts; learner-learner, learner-instructor and learner-content is encouraged as a means to make the learning environment effective. Web 2.0 tools that encourage collaboration and active creation support the Constructivist philosophy of education prevalent today. They also enhance the interactivity desired in eLearning today. By looking back at the history of eLearning as it emerged from Distance learning much of the interest in social media in education can be seen as a desire to address the missing interactivity level of earlier forms of distance education.
Resources:
Driscoll, M. & Carliner, S. (2005) Advanced Web-Based Training Strategies. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer
Kyllis,J.P.. (2005) The Future of eLearning: a Short History of eLearning and a Look into the Future of Computer Mediated Learning.