This assignment started off by giving us the choice of watching a TED talk or reading an article, in which I chose to read the article. Next, we had to imagine that someone we know found out we are taking an online class and asks us if online education works and why. Next, we had to make a discussion board post including the results of the US Department of Education’s report, explanations of what meta-analysis, random assignment, and effect size are, and explain if online education works by referencing the article we read to start the assignment.

From the article, I learned that there are 3 main advantages of online education, which are leverage, time savings, and individualized teaching/new technologies. For leverage, Tabarrok talks about how his one TED talk has reached more viewers than he has taught in his whole offline career, and how online teaching allows the best teachers to teach way more students. For time savings, online lectures can take less time since you only have to say each thing once, and you don’t have to worry about transportation to and from class. For individualized teaching/new technologies, questions can be asked at any time during online lectures, and the development of computer-adaptive learning will lead students to learn where they are at.

Next, in my discussion board post, I first explained the main finding from the US Department of Education’s report. I mentioned that students in online classes performed moderately better than students in face-to-face classes. I also discussed a couple of the other findings very briefly.

I then explained the definitions of meta-analysis, random assignment, and effect size, and explained how they were important in the US Department of Education’s study. For meta-analysis, I explained that it allowed them to look holistically at the differences between online learning and face-to-face instruction, and draw stronger conclusions than a single study would. For random assignment,  it allowed them to ensure there were no systematic differences between groups, and that the results were due to mode of instruction rather than differences in the people. For effect size, it allowed them to conclude how different the online learning conditions were from face-to-face conditions, leading them to draw their conclusions in the study. 

I then went on to explain why online education works, using the points from the Tabarrok article I already explained. I described how it brings leverage, time savings, and individualized teaching/new technologies. I closed by describing there are certainly more reasons why online education works, and that it will continue to grow with the coming years.

Reflecting on this assignment, it was cool how this connected with what we learned in a previous assignment. Two assignments prior, we read the articles about meta-analysis, random assignment, and effect size, and we had to use that knowledge and apply it to this assignment. That was a great way to reinforce that we really understood the concepts, by testing our memory of them and revisiting them.

Additionally, reading an article that directly talked about the benefits of online education was really cool, especially when I am taking this online class right now. It reinforces my decision to take this course and allows me to feel confident in online education as a whole. It makes me more willing to take more online courses in the future!

Also, imagining this conversation with someone we know is valuable, so we can actually explain it if it comes up in a conversation! For example, many old people I know, such as my grandparents, are pretty skeptical about new technology and like the typical old ways of doing things. So, I would imagine that they are not very trusting in online courses. So, if the topic comes up that I am in an online course currently, I will be able to explain the advantages of it to them, both from the Tabarrok article, as well as what I have previously learned in the course.

Also, this is a minor point, but I really appreciate that we were given a choice in if we wanted to watch the video or read the article. Most courses are very professor driven, where students have little or no power to make choices. So, I appreciate how professor Gernsbacher has structured the course and has given us choices in assignments as well as for the term project!

This assignment started off by requiring us to read 4 articles about meta-analysis, random assignment and effect size. Following this, we read the executive summary of a US Department of Education report called “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies”. The article stated 12 main findings, and we had to choose one, and write on the discussion board about it and what we think the finding means.

From the articles on meta-analysis, I learned that it is a form of statistical analysis that combines the results from many different studies. Additionally, I learned that this form of analysis increases power, you can generalize to larger populations, and publication bias can be investigated. These are a few of the many benefits that come with meta-analysis

The article on random assignment explained it as using a chance procedure to randomly place human or animal participants into different experimental groups. This method should always be used, as it ensures that results are not spurious or deceptive.

The article on effect size defines it as the quantification of the difference between 2 groups. It is easy to calculate, takes a more scientific approach, and places emphasis on the important part of an intervention. However, unfortunately, effect sizes are typically only used for meta-analysis.

The US Department of Educations report’s main takeaway was that on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those in face-to-face conditions. I won’t dive through all of the other key findings, but I will address the one from my discussion board post. This finding was that “Frequent online quizzes do not appear to influence the amount that students learn in online classes. The research does not support the use of a commonly recommended online learning practice – the practice of providing online quizzes. Frequent online quizzes do not seem to be more effective than assigning homework”.

I wrote about how this means that although online quizzes are frequently used in college courses, they aren’t a good way for kids to learn. Students can find answers online or in a textbook to answer questions, and they are much more focused on their grade than they are on mastering the material. I think this also means that other forms of assignments, such as frequent, smaller point assignments like in this class, can be more effective for students to learn the material.

Reflecting on this assignment, reading the articles served as a good review for me. In college, I have taken both statistics as well as research methods, so I had already learned about meta-analysis, random assignment, and effect size. However, reading through information about them again allowed me to strengthen my knowledge of each term. Especially when getting a psychology degree, it is important to have a firm foundation of knowledge in the topics surrounding research.

Additionally, I did learn some new things from the US Department of Education report. For example, even the main finding, about better learning outcomes in online conditions, somewhat surprised me. We are all socialized to believe in the method of in-person learning, but this report showed me that online learning is just as good, if not better.

Writing about just one of the findings was a great idea because it really allowed me to think more deeply about what that finding meant. Rather than other courses that may just have you list all of the findings, this required more conscious thought, rather than the busy work of typing out a list of information. This method will allow me to remember the finding I wrote about in the future, whereas if it was assigned differently I probably wouldn’t have retained it.

Reading research articles and about research allows me to become more confident in my knowledge of the topic. I can apply this when reading articles in the future, and explain the concepts to my friends who aren’t well versed on the topics. This assignment helped me retain valuable information that I can use moving forward!

This assignment started off by reading 2 articles, one by Suskind and one by Shirky. Following this, we had to make a post on the discussion board about 3 points from the Shirky article that astounded me most and why, including specific quotes.

The Suskind article was brief, about Napster, an online platform to swap songs. It talked about its emergence and how it spread so quickly, and then how it got targeted by lawsuits and eventually had to be shut down. However, it holds a strong legacy for paving a new path for music consumption and has had a great effect on the industry.

The Shirky article begins by talking about Napster as well. It gave it as an example of how a new idea changes what people think is possible, and even though people think the old way of doing things will never change, it always happens. It discusses how this has happened with music, books, newspapers, TV’s, and now possibly MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses).

The article begins to describe some positive aspects of MOOC’s such as how they can reach so many more people than traditional courses, and how they are much less expensive. It is discussed how they would not replace college education, but how they could expand it. There is so much room for improvement, and it is in the early stages, but can be a way for education to change for the better in the future, just like Napster did for the music industry.

The 3 astounding points I wrote about in my discussion post were that the AI course attracted 160,000 potential students, that college is now like a hostage situation that you have to complete to not fall behind, and the process of new inventions replacing old ones when it is not expected. There were a lot of interesting points made in the article, but these were 3 that really stuck out to me.

Reflecting on this assignment, I think the two articles were not only interesting but also great examples of new technology emerging and challenging old technology. Through the examples of Napster and MOOC’s, the readings taught me more about the process of how new internet technology comes into the picture.

It made me think back to the previous assignments about feared technology, such as the written word, umbrellas, and novels, and how they overcame adversity and are now so popular. The same thing has happened with music, and it really makes me wonder if someday, online education will become the norm instead of in-person colleges! That is a super weird thought to think about right now, but assignments like this make you think deeply!

Not only was it valuable to read the articles, but posting about some aspects of them that surprised me allowed me to really take in the content and interact with it even further. The combination of reading and writing in this course is always beneficial, even if it is more time-consuming at the moment!

I am excited to learn more about MOOC’s and to see if they grow in the future. With new ideas such as this, you never know how successful and widespread they can get. This assignment reminded me of the endless possibilities that the internet can foster!

This assignment was definitely one of the most interesting I have done so far in this course. It started out by reading 6 articles and excerpts about learning online through videos, and sites such as YouTube or Khan Academy. These emphasized how when people encounter boredom or a problem they need fixing, they can find “do it yourself” videos that walk them through it. Some of the examples included fixing a washing machine, getting out of a baseball slump, and rolling lefse, to name a few things.

Following this, we were required to search through tutorials from Khan Academy, Lynda, YouTube, or Pinterest, and learn 2 new skills. This did not consist of just watching, but we actually had to do these skills! After doing the skills, we had to post on the discussion board about the 2 skills, describing the skills and why we chose to learn them. Finally, we had to embed the videos we learned from in the post, as well as images that document my learning of the behavior.

I chose to learn from YouTube, and the 2 skills I learned were how to make an origami frog, and an origami heart. Physically completing the actions also lead to more learning than I would have experienced if I would have just watched the videos. Kardas’ study showed that when people watch others do something, they believe they could do it too, but that their actual ability to do it does not change by watching.

Reflecting on this assignment, it was unique because the learning I experienced was not really from the articles I read, but from the actions I performed as I completed each origami step. It was a change of pace from what we had previously done in this course! Not only did doing the actions make it more fun and rewarding, but it also reinforced my ability to actually complete the origami skill.

Although, it is important to note that the articles were still valuable. It provided many different perspectives to represent one main point. They are trying to express the usefulness of the internet, particularly online videos, and how they can influence the lives of others for the better. From learning fun skills to important maintenance fixes, the internet can provide almost anything you need instructions for!

This assignment was another great example of professor Gernsbacher utilizing a variety of mediums for her students to learn from. Compared to an in-person lecture where everything is so similar, this online course keeps challenging me with new ideas and concepts, all presented in different ways. I am looking forward to continuing to learn about the effects of the internet through more diverse groupings of assignments!

I made it through one unit and am onto the second! This first assignment of unit 2 started off by reading professor Gernsbacher’s 2015 article, “Why Internet-Based Education?”. Following the reading, I had to identify the principle from the article that resonated most with me. Once I made this decision, I posted on the discussion board including which principle I chose, as well as why it resonated with me.

There was a lot of content I learned from the article about the advantages of internet-based education, and it was broken down into 5 essential principles.

The first principle was that it can lead to better mastery. Breaking this down, it is saying that internet courses give students the opportunity to experience distributed learning, rather than mass learning. Research has shown the benefits of distributed learning over massed learning for people of all ages. Internet courses give students more frequent interaction with the course material than in-person courses do.

The second principle was that internet-based education can optimize performance. The cognition of different human beings peaks at different times of the day, with college students excelling later than older people. So, early lectures do not allow for students to function their best, but in online courses, students can engage with the course whenever works best for them!

The third principle was that internet education can deepen memory. To not allow students to cheat online, assignments and exams must access deeper levels of processing. Good assessments should be able to judge mastery of the material. So, because it needs this deeper processing, this leads to better memory of the material.

The fourth principle was that it can promote critical thinking. Gathering information from all over the internet requires much more effort and critical thinking than reading from a textbook. Plus, the information is just as accurate.

The fifth principle was that it can enhance writing skills. This is of high importance since it is one of the top skills employers seek. Internet education relies on text-based communication. This often involves communication with the professor and class as a whole, which is not usually possible in an in-person class!

The principle that resonated most with me was the optimization of performance one. This resonated with me most because I function best later in the day, usually after the times I am in in-person lectures. Online courses give me the flexibility to work when it is best for me, which allows me to do my best work and feel confident about it!

Reflecting on this assignment, first I thought it was cool to read an article written fairly recently by my actual professor! But about the actual content, I think the principles that were given were super strong, and some unexpected before reading! Even though I had heard about a lot of the common themes in general, I had never really applied them to the topic of online-based education.

For example, in many different psychology courses at UW, I have learned about the importance of distributed learning, rather than massed learning. However, I didn’t really think about how online learning gives me a great opportunity for this, until reading the article! Additionally, I already knew that different people function better at different times of the day. But, I had never thought about how online classes allow you to work whenever you choose, which solves this problem!

Similarly, on issues of memory, critical thinking, and writing skills, I knew they are all very important skills to possess for future success. However, I didn’t realize how online learning could maximize them until I read the article!

Overall, I think reading this article combined information I already knew with information I did not know and applied it all to the topic of online learning, which I am not too familiar with. This was valuable to me because I have always thought that in-person courses would facilitate better learning. But now, I certainly question this notion and understand that each learning method has a lot of benefits of their own!