Communication, the Key to K-12 Online Success

We use computers, cell phones, tablets, and the internet in all aspects of our lives, from shopping to health care to learning [1]. This increased access to devices and the internet opens up new opportunities. One area of particular significance is access to learning opportunities for K-12 learners.

Online learning has taken place in some manner since the 1880s, beginning as correspondence courses where study materials were delivered to students and returned to the instructor, generally through the mail [2]. The first instance of a high school distance learning course was in 1922 [2, 3]. The development of the internet and other technologies has opened up the availability of online learning to larger groups. The internet has increased the demand for online classes for a number of reasons [4]. Online K-12 schools began appearing in the United States in the late 1990s, beginning with the Florida Virtual School and the Virtual High School [5]. The K-12 student population has also been the fastest-growing student group in online learning populations. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), the growth of online enrollment in K-12 has more than doubled since the 2013–2014 academic year [6]. Online learning has been used in K-12 for advanced coursework such as AP and college preparatory courses, credit recovery, and other courses schools are unable to provide [7]. Post-pandemic, this growth is expected to continue [6].

Social interaction plays a positive role in overall learning, whether face-to-face or online [8]. The social aspect of learning makes students feel like they are part of a learning community [9, 10]. Because online students are separated from each other and from the teacher in both space and time, it is important to establish methods of communication that will facilitate the social aspects of a traditional classroom in the online environment.

There is much research detailing the positive impact of social interaction on K-12 students in online classes and learning outcomes [8]. The Community of Inquiry framework explains how interpersonal relationships between students and teachers play a significant role in student academic, social, and emotional development and how to create these in an online setting [11]. Because online learning changes classroom dynamics, it affects teaching style and the relationships between teacher and student [12]. The perception of students is that the online learning situation decreases their levels of social interaction and increases their sense of isolation [8]. For this reason, the need to create a community facilitating social interaction and communication is an important pedagogical element, especially in asynchronous environments.

Online Course Quality

Because online learning has such a far reach, it is important to ensure quality of content to ensure students taking online courses are receiving high-quality educational experiences [13]. Organizations such as Blackboard, Quality Matters, and iNACOL have published standards for online course development and offer their services to evaluate online courses [13]. The iNACOL standards are specific to K-12 online learning.

Online learning requires students to be able to learn independently. K-12 learners are relatively inexperienced in learning autonomously and this decreased experience requires that courses be organized in such a way as to allow students to build the skills necessary to be successful [10, 14]. Having multiple communication methods built into the course is necessary. The younger the student, the greater the need for more support and frequent communication [15]. Effective communication in online courses is a necessary pedagogical process [16]. The iNACOL standards are specifically for K-12 online learning and communication and interaction are threaded throughout the standards emphasizing its importance [17].

Communication

Communication in online courses can occur in several ways.  It can be done through discussion boards, email, video conferencing, chat rooms, videos, and screencasts [18]. Because much of the information presented in online courses is text-based, communication methods are important to establish from the outset of the course. Creating content that facilitates teacher-student and student-student interaction is important so students can feel connected in accordance with social learning theory [19, 20]. When courses are organized around a social framework, students tend to be more engaged [18, 21–25].

Garrison et al. states social presence must be built into any online course design as a way to decrease the social distance perceived by students taking online courses [12]. Communication is the tool to create social presence.  Communication is not one-sided. Social interaction that happens in a traditional classroom cannot be effectively recreated in an online classroom. Creating social presence requires teachers to be open and available to communicate with students through a variety of means [26]. Using multiple methods of communication, the teacher can create a relationship that is often perceived as absent in online courses, encouraging more positive responses and increased satisfaction of students [27].

Discussion

For nearly 20 years, I taught an online AP course for a virtual provider. The content was created by the instructor and then, after a few years, replicated across several sections taught by various teachers. The course was written in accordance with program standards and was accredited for content by the College Board. The content was completely text-based and all self-contained within the learning management system (LMS).  The reason for the text-based format was the classes were taught internationally and access to multimedia resources may not translate due to issues with internet access in other countries. Nearly all students took the corresponding AP exam and more than 70% of students received passing scores. Beginning from the first day of the course, students saw my presence in the course.

The program provider required several methods of communication.  There were several avenues of communication built into the LMS. One requirement was the creation of private discussion threads visible only to the student and teacher for times when the student did not wish to use public threads or share private information. In addition, there was also a general question thread for students to ask questions. These could be questions about anything course-related such as due dates, where to find information, assignment help, or technical issues, and could be answered by anyone. There was also a “water cooler” thread for off-topic discussions; this thread allowed students to engage in more social interactions. Weekly discussion boards were used to facilitate learning of the course content. Effective online teaching demands that teachers be open to using multiple communication tools to facilitate learning and I used all that I could [28].

Online courses provide some level of anonymity to all participants, allowing students and teachers to hide behind a screen persona [28]. Online courses that are primarily text-driven also lack visual and other nonverbal cues that help with meaning-making. Using the different communication tools to create social interactions helped my students see that they had a teacher, not just an anonymous avatar on a screen. By creating a social presence [12], the teacher can be seen as a real person and approachable encouraging communication. Communication does not have to be all content-related. Through the use of “humor, emotion, self-disclosure, encouragement, and acknowledgment that students are individuals” [28]. Teachers become more than just an avatar on a screen. The use of emojis, while informal, can also facilitate the non-verbal communication that is missing in online discussion boards.

Being able to communicate in teaching is a given. Teachers communicate content, facilitate communication with classmates, and give explanations and feedback on assignments. Communicating online is different from communicating in the traditional classroom. Due to the asynchronous nature of the course, students pose questions and then have to wait for responses. Most programs require responses to questions within 24-48 hours, but when students are working on course material, waiting contributes to a lack of participation and attrition that plagues online courses. Online teachers often learn about communication tools in the course of online teaching. Due to the asynchronous nature of an online course, students can engage in the course content based on their schedule which may or may not coincide with the teacher or peers. The course I taught had students in schools across the United States as well as outside the U.S. Because of this, my online students are not afforded the same opportunities as their traditional classroom peers to ask questions and get immediate responses [27].  Using the question thread in the LMS did help students get answers sooner because anyone could answer the question.

Many LMSs now include synchronous communication tools such as an interactive whiteboard, chat rooms, or video conferencing. There are social media tools that can be used outside the LMS such as WhatsApp, WeChat, or texting applications that can also provide nearly instant responses. It should be noted that outside communication methods may not be allowed by the online service provider because they do create some challenges and should be used with caution. Using methods outside the LMS means communication is not monitored by the online school, which can allow for inappropriate interactions to take place and potentially create legal repercussions. Using outside communication methods can also be distracting to learners. Screen size may also pose issues. Working on a cell phone may make it more difficult to elaborate more complex concepts adequately.

From my first year of online teaching, I recognized the need to use different tools based on student demand. I used all the threads within the LMS—private thread, off-topic thread, question thread, and discussion boards. The online school required responding to student posts within 24 hours, but I made it a personal goal to answer questions in less than 12 hours. Assignment feedback was required within one week, but most of the time, my students were given feedback within four days of the due date. Because the course was text-based, I would also create mini-lectures for difficult concepts based on student questions and what I saw on assignments.  These mini-lectures could easily be dropped into private threads so students would not have to look for the information.  I was very proactive in my communication because I felt it was necessary.  

There was often a several-hour time zone difference between me and the students. This meant questions would often appear to go unanswered until I was able to respond. In the early years, my students recognized they might not get responses to questions when they were working on the homework and asked me to use outside chat rooms for communication, which I did. When I was online, students could see I was available and would often use the chat rooms to ask questions, just say hello, or tell me what was happening in their lives.  I learned about scholarships, college acceptances, and personal details that I might not have learned about if I had seen the students in person.  This interaction helped me get to know my online students sometimes better than my face-to-face students. I was able to log into the messenger and have it open so students could see I was available.  At the end of every conversation, I copied and pasted the night’s communication into a Word document so I could use it to update the course or make announcements when I saw students struggling over the same issues.  It allowed me to be more proactive in teaching the course, which I saw at the end of the year with a high passing rate on the corresponding AP exam.

Every day, my students saw me creating that teacher and social presence. They knew I would answer their questions in a timely manner. In addition to the standard threads, I incorporated a weekly off-topic discussion to help students see that the people on the other side of the screen were similar to them as well as to help create a social relationship. My students told me about personal achievements, and I learned about them just as much as they learned about me. This kept them coming back to class and staying engaged. The more communication you can have, the better it will be for your students. It isn’t always easy and takes time, but student success is the end goal.

The key is to figure out what works. After many years, the program’s LMS instituted a chat feature that I could have open when I was working at my computer and students would see that I was available and could ask questions on their schedule, similar to the social media chat rooms I had used. Copying and pasting my chats into a Word document was for personal and professional reasons: I could show the program the conversations were always appropriate and above board; I could look back at the conversations to see where students struggled with content.  This helped me create new assignments, mini-lectures, and revisions to the course accordingly.

Conclusion and Implications

Effective communication in online classrooms is just as important as the quality of the content.  Just as you create a persona in a traditional classroom, the same must also be done in the online classroom. It may take longer to achieve the same results, but your students will be better for it.

K-12 learners need more communication than more mature learners.  Today’s learning management systems offer a variety of methods for communication.  Effective communication must be initiated from day one and maintained throughout the duration of the course.  If you are going to be out or unable to respond as often as usual, that has to be communicated.  The online classroom can quickly become impersonal if students don’t think they have the social connection that communication creates.

K-12 learners also have higher attrition rates in online classes.  If students don’t see others—teachers and peers—they are at a higher risk of dropping out of the program. Through the different methods of communication, students can share in a way that suits them.  Teaching online is a lot of work, but through communication, teachers and keep students engaged and successful.  The most difficult part is to figure out what works best with the students you have.

References

About the Author

Jean Kiekel, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.  In her position at the University of St. Thomas, she has implemented and administered the Master of Arts in Teaching program, a post-bacc teacher preparation program, and an M.Ed. in instructional technology.  She has held leadership positions with several professional organizations, including the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and the Society for Instructional Technology in Teacher Education (SITE).  She has written curriculum for, and taught, online high school and university courses.  Her research interests are related to teacher induction, K-12 technology implementation, and distance learning.