DocumentCode :
3091283
Title :
Developing online tutors and mentors in Sri Lanka through a community building model: Predictors of satisfaction
Author :
Gunawardena, C.N. ; Jayatilleke, B.G. ; Fernando, Shakith ; Kulasekere, C. ; Lamontagne, M.D. ; Ekanayake, M.B. ; Thaiyamuthu, T.
Author_Institution :
Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
fYear :
2012
fDate :
12-15 Dec. 2012
Firstpage :
145
Lastpage :
155
Abstract :
This paper discusses the results of a tutor mentor development program that utilized a community building model to train online tutors and mentors in higher education institutions and professional organizations in Sri Lanka. Based on WisCom; an instructional design model for developing online wisdom communities, this tutor mentor development program which utilized a blended format of face-to-face and online activities in MOODLE, attempted to build a learning community between trainees, both academics and professionals who represented diverse disciplines and organizations. A regression model examined predictors of learner satisfaction, using four independent variables: Community Building, Interaction, Course Design, and Learner Support. Interaction emerged as a strong predictor of Learner Satisfaction explaining 50.2% of the variance in Learner Satisfaction. This finding shows the importance of designing interactive learning activities to support learning online, and contradicts the general belief that Sri Lankan participants would be less likely to interact online because they come from a traditional education system that encourages passivity and reception of ideas from a more learned teacher. Qualitative analysis showed evidence of several types of learning online as a result of collaborative group interaction, as well as issues that contributed to non-participation. Factors that motivated participants to stay engaged in learning could be classified into three categories: (1) general enjoyment, interest and motivation; (2) collaborative learning and community building; and (3) knowledge building. These results suggest that the online learning design based on WisCom led to learner satisfaction and supported interaction and collaborative learning in the Sri Lankan socio-cultural context.
Keywords :
computer aided instruction; educational institutions; further education; regression analysis; MOODLE; Sri Lankan sociocultural context; WisCom; academics; collaborative group interaction; collaborative learning; community building model; course design; diverse disciplines; diverse organizations; education system; face-to-face activities; general enjoyment; general interest; general motivation; higher education institutions; instructional design model; interactive learning activities; knowledge building; learner satisfaction; learner support; online activities; online learning design; online mentors; online tutors; online wisdom communities; professional organizations; professionals; regression model; tutor mentor development program; Buildings; Communities; Context; Education; Indexes; National Distance Education Systems; Online learning communities; Sri Lanka; collaborative learning; e-mentoring; faculty development; inquiry-based learning;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions (ICTer), 2012 International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Colombo
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4673-5529-2
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/ICTer.2012.6421413
Filename :
6421413
Link To Document :
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