This is a book I wish I had read a few years ago when I first started developing online learning materials. It is primarily a practical work which will help anyone working on distance learning, while still making reference to learning theory.
Robin Neidorf is Director of Research for FreePint, the online information and research publisher who also produces the FreePint Newsletter. Additionally, she is an experienced teacher and creator of distance learning materials, many examples of which appear in the book.
After looking at the platforms available, tools and components of distance learning, the author moves on to the task of course development and then the process of teaching a distance learning course and managing the learners. A significant amount of the book is devoted to the course design and development as without this groundwork a distance learning course is much less likely to be successful. Perhaps the most important message is that “It's not about you, it's about them” as Robin Neidorf emphasizes the need for the learner to be motivated by the course; for that to happen the course designer has to make it obvious how the learner will benefit. The student's attitude towards education will influence their motivation. The perpetual student is likely to thrive although they can prove a challenge for the tutor because of their high level of commitment. The outcome oriented student needs to be able see the benefit of most activities in order to fully engage with the course.
Robin Neidorf makes a key point that if you start with the end in mind when designing the course; you immediately focus on what the student needs to learn rather than what you are going to teach. The author leads from this into the question of writing learning objectives or outcomes which are “targeted, specific and measurable”. A useful feature of the book is the inclusion of highlighted boxes which draw the reader's attention to key features; examples are the table of suitable words for use in writing learning outcomes and “lessons from the copywriter” or how to write suitable online content for learners.
Teachers moving from face to face to distance learning will find this book very useful as the author looks at differences and similarities between the modes. An important difference is that students may move around an online course in a non-linear, non-sequential way and so the author emphasizes the importance of creating materials which can stand alone and make sense wherever the learner lands. As with face to face teaching, the teacher needs to repeat important details more than once, for example submission dates for assignments. Robin Neidorf suggests that assembling a collection of reusable learning objects will help make life easier.
Group work is often an area which causes problems both in distance and traditional face to face learning as students often complain that members of their group are not contributing. The author covers the psychology relating to building teams and suggests the tool of a team charter which sets out the team purpose, skills of the team and so on, all to be negotiated by the team members.
Assessment (both of the teacher and the student) and feedback are covered at various places in the book. The author makes the helpful suggestion of providing constructive criticism in a “feedback sandwich” whereby a critical comment is sandwiched between two positive comments.
This is a very readable book which will be of interest to anyone embarking on designing and teaching distance learning; those already experienced in this area are also likely to find ideas and advice which are new to them. FreePint provides a linked website where you can find articles on distance learning by the author (https://web.freepint.com/go/research/learning/). You can also request the worksheets featured in the book which are sent in a zip file within one working day.
