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      CHAPTER 1

       Understanding the Modality and the Moment

      There are a multitude of applications for online digital learning. This chapter is devoted to exploring some essential questions regarding the applications of this modality—this method for learning—and providing some observations that will help you put the learning in this book into the appropriate context. Let’s start with some important questions about the modality of digital learning.

       KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS CHAPTER

      • What type of digital learning experience are you facilitating? How does it impact your approach?

      • Who is planning and developing the online learning experience, and why does it matter?

      • What opportunities do online tools offer, and what are the best methods for nurturing connectivity, learning growth, and innovation?

      • How can technophiles and technophobes work together in facilitating online learning?

      In thinking about these questions, consider the story of Nick, a fictional fourth grader at Eagle Cliffs Elementary School in Billings, Montana.

       NICK AND THE SINS OF SYNCHRONIZED LEARNING

      Sitting neatly in a seat in a row with his books strewn at his feet and his notebook open, Nick worked diligently to take notes on the history lesson his teacher was providing. The notes on his page looked more like an Impressionist’s painting than a well-crafted piece of prose. The edges of his papers were perpetually crumpled as his outstretched hands continued to manipulate, flatten, and perpetually rotate the paper to capture notes in some semblance of order. His head would bob up and down, trying to get closer to the paper and then pulling back. His feet nervously shuffled beneath him as looked up, down, and to the side for some inspiration as his frustration mounted. Nick was a kind and obedient boy, but he couldn’t help noticing his classmates as they kept their words so neatly on the page.

      One of Nick’s greatest challenges in trying to keep up with his history lesson was the fact that all students were expected to work synchronously. Although the teacher presented the content as best she could, it was a long-standing expectation in her classroom that all the students would be able to follow all the content in a perfect synchronized moment, in the same exact way and at the same time. Nick couldn’t do that, but that didn’t mean the content was too much for him.

      Learners like Nick may very well have the competency to engage this content with great depth and understanding, if they have the luxury of digesting the content at a slightly different pace or with slightly different support. Let’s think about some solutions for Nick in a DEL environment that would help him meet his needs. Consider the following.

      ■ The teacher might have presented the content in an audio or video format that Nick could access on his own device. This would allow Nick to pause it to reflect or take his time capturing the notes at his own pace. Or, he could go back and play a piece of the presentation again if he either didn’t hear it or understand it. This is great for learners like Nick, or any of us that simply may have lost concentration for a moment.

      ■ While taking the notes in a blended or fully online learning environment, Nick has several options. Certainly, the research on assistive technology shows us that students feel good about the fact that they can use the tools of technology to create written products that have a professional look. In this case, Nick wouldn’t have to look to the left and right to compare his Impressionistic handwriting to his classmates. Instead, he would find that his writing is every bit as good and can be presented in the same form as everyone else.

      ■ While listening to the presentation Nick can instant message a friend, or even his teacher, and ask for clarification or help. With fewer time constraints, he can wait for an answer. He also could quickly consult a myriad of resources that might help him understand.

      ■ Nick could learn in his available setting and bring questions for clarification back to the classroom if videos and formative learning were offered online. This allows Nick a more personalized experience to his learning as he drives the learning with his specific needs in mind.

      ■ Nick could learn fully online and have access to his teacher through the phone or Internet. This model allows him to collaborate asynchronously with other learners, provides the flexibility in time to manage his schedule, and allows him to join groups with similar interests to engage in socialization with peers.

      As you have surely guessed, Nick is not the only learner who could benefit from DEL in this way. As you begin to consider how you can use DEL in your classroom, it’s important to start with an understanding of the types of digital learning experiences available to you.

Types of Digital Learning Experiences

      One complexity of embracing DEL is the variety of choices educators have for delivering digital learning opportunities to the learners they serve. Suffice it to say, there are some interesting choices that can significantly differentiate the experience. Consider the following questions.

      ■ Is your course or class asynchronous? An asynchronous course is one in which learning experiences are shared without regard to the specific synchronicity of time, space, and events (Smith & Basham, 2014). This means that in your course you present learning opportunities that can be executed anywhere at any time. For example, the facilitator may post a mathematics problem in a digital course using an application such as VoiceThread. He may then ask learners to solve the problem, thoroughly explain their answers, thoughtfully debate, and reflect on each other’s answers over the span of a week.

      ■ Is your digital class synchronous? Sitting in a face-to-face college lecture or executing a typical K–12 lesson plan in a traditional classroom represents a synchronous learning experience. In other words, in a synchronous environment, all the learners experience the learning opportunity at the same time and in the same space. Therefore, a synchronous digital learning experience is one in which learning experiences happen in real time, and all participants engage in the learning experience simultaneously (Smith & Basham, 2014). A teacher lecture or demonstration using Google Hangouts, Skype, or some type of webinar application represents an opportunity to provide a synchronous activity in a digital environment. Some K–12 digital schools have a student population who live hundreds or even thousands of miles away from one another, yet students’ learning is almost entirely synchronous, with students logging on each day and greeting each other via Skype or Google Hangouts. Their learning is just as synchronous as the students you know who drive or walk to a brick-and-mortar building each day and pull up a chair beside their classmates.

      ■ Is your class or course an asynchronous-synchronous blend? Some schools offer synchronous learning opportunities with face-to-face, real-time connections happening either in person or with the assistance of technology tools like Skype. Educators may then connect asynchronously by posting discussions or problems to be tackled by the class over a flexible, predetermined time frame. We’ve referred to blended learning multiple times already in this book. This type of class or course is an example of that.

      What’s exciting about this

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