FSD / Communication Skills / Model Outline

CORE11-100 Communication Skills

Academic Essay Outline

(Due: …………, 2012)

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Essay Outline Template

1. Essay topic:

Online learning is more effective than traditional classroom instruction.

2. Thesis statement:

Traditional classroom instruction is more effective when conducted in a disciplined environment that motivates the student and enables face-to-face interaction without the complications of technology.

3. Body:

1. 1^st point: The traditional classroom fosters a synchronous learning environment that allows the student to interact with the instructor.

1. “The faculty assumes responsibility for the learning environment including designing the delivery of information, troubleshooting technology problems and collecting on the spot student feedback related to their understanding of concepts. Some students feel more secure with the teaching learning process when they take a more passive role” (Sweet & Sealover, 2007, p.55).

2. Traditional classroom instruction provides the student with a familiar environment allowing them direct access to their teacher and peers. The synchronous interaction ensures the right material is being learnt and issues are dealt with in real time.

2. 2^nd point: Online learning can result in a decreased motivation to learn due to a perceived lack of supervision.

1. “…(L)earners want engaging learning environments that promote ‘direct interaction with professor(s) and students’, ‘spontaneity’, ‘immediate feedback’ and ‘relationships with faculty and students’” (Clayton, Blumberg, & Auld, 2010, p.362).

2. Motivation to learn is not always derived from within the student but formulated from the environment surrounding the student. The driving force to succeed often spawns from the perceived need to impress the teacher and fellow students and this perception can be lessened in the online learning environment.

3. 3^rd point: Students who participate in an online learning course are subjected to an increase in their cognitive load through the limitations of technology and its asynchronous learning and support.

1. “While technology has made significant improvements in the methods of online delivery of courses, it has its limitations and can not substitute for innovation or creativity” (Kartha, 2006, p.29).

2. Improvements relevant to the online learning community are noticeable with the introduction of Web 2.0, discussion boards and synchronous chat forums. However, students are still left with the requirement of learning these technologies and are dependent on the premise that things won’t go wrong; their time is spent on learning how to use the system and its software as opposed to learning the actual content material.

4. Reference List

1. Clayton, K., Blumberg, F., & Auld, D. P. (2010). The relationship between motivation, learning strategies and choice of environment whether traditional or including an online component. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(3), 349-364. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00993.x

2. Kartha, C. P. (2006). Learning business statistics: online vs traditional. The Business Review, 5(1), 27-32. Retrieved from Proquest Database.

3. Sweet, S. L., & Sealover, P. S. (2007). The affect of decreased classroom time on course outcomes. AURCO Journal, 13, 55-63. Retrieved from EBSCO Database.