Learner+to+Learning+Management+System+Interaction

For students to successfully learn online they must be able to “successfully interact with the mediating technology” ( Bradley, 2009, p. 24 ).

Courses taught online should not be virtual versions of traditional in-classroom courses. The affordances of electronic delivery provide greater opportunities for learning than the regular classroom can ( So & Bonk, 2010; Watkins, 2005 ). Levine (2005) identified that helping establish a meaningful relationship between learner and technology as “an essential activity for the educator, [for in so doing] instructors can then expect viable learning to take place” ( p. 23 ).

**Learner-technology interactivity**
An online course necessitates the interaction of the student with technology, and to learn successfully requires the student to have a minimum level of efficacy with the medium ( Bradley, 2009 ). One poor experience with an online course because of connectivity problems, lack of access, throughput issues, poor instructional design, or lack of interactivity may inhibit students from taking additional online courses ( Martinez-Caro, 2009; Thompson, Jeffries, & Topping, 2010 ).

**Learner-technology strategies**
It is essential for the instructor to facilitate and augment the interaction that the student has with the learning environment ( Levine, 2005 ). The instructor must ensure that the student knows how to use all of the features of the interface that will facilitate success in the course. In addition, the instructor may suggest alternative solutions if the current environment is not conducive to the students’ success due to connectivity or throughput issues. By minimizing the difficulties that a student may have with technical issues during an online class, the instructor diminishes distractions, while maximizing the student’s attention on creating relationships with the material, the instructor, and other learners.

//[The contents of this page were excerpted from Watts (2012).] //


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 * = References ||
 * * Bradley, J. (2009). Promoting and supporting authentic online conversations – which comes first – the tools of instructional design? //International Journal of Pedagogies and learning, 5//(3), 20-31. Retrieved from http://jpl.e-contentmanagement.com/
 * Levine, S. J. (Ed.) (2005). //Making distance education work: Understanding learning and learners at a distance//. Okemos, MI: LearnerAssociates.
 * Martinez‐Caro, E. (2011). Factors affecting effectiveness in e‐learning: An analysis in production management courses. //Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 19//(3), 572‐581. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cae.v19.3/issuetoc
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">So, H.-J., & Bonk, C. J. (2010). Examining the roles of blended learning approaches in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments: A Delphi study. //Educational Technology & Society, 13//(3), 189–200. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Thompson, L., Jeffries, M., & Topping, K. (2010). E-mentoring for e-learning development. //Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 47//(3), 305-315. doi:10.1080/14703297.2010.498182
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Watkins, R. (2005). //75 e-learning activities: Making online learning interactive//. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer/John Wiley & Sons.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Watts, S. W. (2012). //Learner Relationships//. Unpublished Manuscript, Department of Education, Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, AZ. ||