Why do we send this questionaire to you?

Dear MDE Student:

We now find ourselves already more than halfway through the Foundations course. As you know, one of the roles of faculty is to serves as course manager, overseeing all aspects of the online teaching-learning environment and ensuring that it is optimally being used. This task includes, among other responsibilities, reading all student input into the conferences.

In this regard, the WebTycho system has provided data indicating that you are one of the students who did not visibly participate (i.e., submit written comments) during the Conference portion of one or both of the modules with B. Holmberg and O. Peters. Please remember that we told you at the beginning of the course that you would not be graded on the volume of visible participation, so do not be alarmed by this communication , as that policy has not changed. In fact, we suspect that many of you may still be actively engaged in the learning process, even though you are not visibly participating at a particular point in the course.

We would like, therefore, to now request your cooperation in a small research project to help us better understand some of the "invisible" aspects of online student-faculty interaction and their impact on the learning process. Your willingness to complete this brief questionnaire would assist us in arriving at some preliminary answers (which we would then share with you). For instance, we would like to better understand how much and what type of learning occurs when students are observing rather than actively participating in online dialogue.

Your responses will, of course, be anonymous and there are no right or wrong answers, so please give the answer that most closely matches how you actually feel about the questions posed. Your input on this is very much appreciated and will help us make enhancements in this and future MDE online courses.

Thanks very much.
MDE Faculty

SURVEY OF FOUNDATION COURSE STUDENTS' "INVISIBLE" PARTICIPATION

  1. Approximately how many hours (if any) during the weeks of the Holmberg and Peters modules
    did you spend in the following activities?

    Logging in just to see what was happening hours
    Reading assignments hours
    Writing assignments hours
    Composing comments for the Conference discussion hours
    Reading others' Conference comments hours
    Communicating with study group hours
    Other related activities (e.g., searches on web) hours
    Applying what I've learned to my work setting hours

    If you want to add further comments you may do so here

  2. What prevented you from making more (or any) written comments in these modules?
    (Check all that apply.)

    Preferred to read what others wrote.
    Had thoughts, but others made similar comments before I had a chance to write.
    Did not find the topic(s) interesting enough to make comments.
    Was not sure I understood the topic well enough to write anything.
    Often had something in mind to write, but wasn't quite sure how to phrase it.
    Felt that a few students were dominating the discussion too much of the time.
    Don't feel comfortable writing my ideas in an online-asynchronous environment.
    People don't seem to stick to the main topic, so was not sure what to contribute.
    I often had ideas not related to the main topic, so was reluctant to comment.
    Had too many other demands on my time that prevented me from participating.

    If you want to add further comments you may do so here

  3. Please respond with a Yes or No to the following questions related to your learning style.
    I think I am learning just as much or more in reading others' comments
    than if I was writing more frequently     		Yes No
    I often process ideas gained from the readings and postings even
    when I am not visibly participating     		Yes No
    I'm more of an "autonomous" learner and so seldom
    get too engaged in group learning activities     		Yes No
    I get more from the readings and assignment
    than I do from the Conference discussions     		Yes No
    I hope to log-in more frequently in the remainder of the course Yes No

    If you want to add further comments you may do so here

    If you want to comment on the questionaire you are welcome to do so. You may contact me under:
    huelsmann@zef.uni-oldenburg.de