Journal of Communication and Computer 10 (2013) 1099-1104

Communication Methods: Instructors’ Positions at Istanbul Aydin University Distance Education Institute Kubilay Kaptan and Onur Yilmaz Disaster Education, Application and Research Center, Istanbul Aydin University, Kucukcekmece 34290, Turkey

Received: June 19, 2013 / Accepted: July 30, 2013 / Published: August 31, 2013. Abstract: In the world of higher education, several issues are converging: (1) advances in computer technology; (2) rapidly growing enrollments; (3) changing student demographics; and (4) continued cost containment requirements. Work based research involves action plan for the improvement of Distance Education Institute that requires a change based on quality mission of Istanbul Aydin University and EUA norms. This research is part of learning process in Doctorate of Professional Studies that has significant contributions on online pedagogy and teaching process for online tutors in enhancing their professional growth. The work based research aims to explore the importance of communication process within the work setting and to investigate roles of tutors in facilitating communication to overcome social barriers in constructing knowledge during online learning-teaching process. The research has qualitative and inductive nature that action research approach is chosen to change professional practices through collaborative activities. Therefore, focus group, trainings, in-depth interviews, self-reports and researcher diary are used as data collection techniques for each action. This proposal is part of ongoing research project that process is aimed to be shared with academic community. Key words: Communication, online pedagogy, roles, work based project.

1. Introduction Work based project is one of the achievements of workers as researchers for their work settings and their developments. It is part of lifelong learning process that learning and reflection are incorporated to propose a change and innovation regarding to the vision and missions of work settings. In this respect, researcher as worker play a great role to evaluate environment of work and facilitate proposed actions for the development of working practices. Work based learning is a type of experiential learning, in the sense that work based learning is gained mostly through what people do at work. It focuses on individuals’ work practices and on experience gained from their work roles, cumulatively throughout their careers. In essence it requires Corresponding author: Kubilay Kaptan, Ph.D., lecturer, research fields: disaster management and online education. E-mail: [email protected].

questioning and reflecting upon what researcher have learnt about and from their own work based learning. Work based research project provides researchers to reflect concrete experiences and develop concepts, be in active experimentation. It is about becoming a good practitioner, about choosing the best option for better working practice. It is about respecting humanity for supporting others’ through researchers’ experiences and actions. It provides to focus on being the researcher as worker seeking to improve aspects of own and colleagues’ practices [1]. 1.1 Focus of Work Based Research Project and Its Significance In constructing continuous quality improvements in higher education, there is intensified need to turn attention in having innovative strategies in order to gain competitive advantage. With this respect, strategic plans regarding collective vision, culture,

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Communication Methods: Instructors’ Positions At Istanbul Aydin University Distance Education Institute

climate of the organizations and higher education practices need to meet distance education practices as part of innovation in order to gain differentiation and competitive advantage [2]. In addition, higher education institutions can gain competitive advantage by having service differentiation which distance education could be the most effective service and strategy for improving institutional performance and reputation in line with global standards in competitive environment. The study of Thomas [3] put initial perspective that distance education practices for the universities which have dual mode, are the innovative strategy for quality. According to Kamauin [4], universities can have dual mode model of Mugridge [5] which have both distance education and traditional applications in their organizational structure. In other words, universities use distance education that has gained popularity as an alternative mode of delivery because of its ability to address issues of equity to people who did not go on with their education for one reason or other. It enables higher institutions to train staff, upgrade peoples’ academic and professional qualifications and impart new skills without withdrawing them from their duties. Its flexibility has made it a feasible alternative since it utilizes available physical, human and material resources. In order to sustain quality in standards for higher education, distance education practices need to be developed in its both pedagogical and organizational aspects. In this respect, communicative practices become crucial element within the higher education institutions that this unit of the institution need to expand its connection with internal and external environments and develop new pedagogy by considering changing roles of the tutors based on change and development activities regarding strategic action plans. Academic staff who teach courses in distance education programmes are invited to be aware on changing roles and new pedagogy in online context by putting emphasis on impact of social presence, collaborative learning on students’ learning and satisfaction.

The study of Srikanthan and Dalrymple [6] provided in-depth insights on the features of quality management in education based on the approaches spelt out in four well-articulated methodologies for the practice of quality in higher education. The study reflected the necessity of the quality improvements and performance assessment in the higher education by using various activities and quality action plans. Additionally, Frahm and Brown [7] explored the understanding on change and development of the practices by the impact of communication roles and the collaboration. Parka et al. [8] supported the idea that communication and the collaboration are the critical factors to implement change and development within the organisations for the quality improvements. Furthermore, this study put forward to the nature of interaction among teachers and how that collegial interaction influenced teachers’ professional development. Pallof and Pratt [9] defined quality as practicing learner focused online education. In this respect, online tutors need to be facilitator encourage online learner to take their own learning process toward acquisition of the knowledge without loosing the facilitation of collaborative learning and social interaction. Hubbard and Power [10] provided a ground that online education practices could be changed and developed through action research approach based on collaboration and facilitation in the process. In this respect, Saito et al. [11] underlined the action research approach as tool to do reform in educational practices. Gilbert [12] suggested criteria of being effective online tutors who are designing their courses specific for distance learning rather than in-class courses, planning activities carefully by letting students to know agenda in advance, being comfortable with technology and seeing it as a tool, guide students about technology and the structure of the system. Online tutors need to consider interaction which is the critical element for the lifelong learning. Berge [13] listed the roles and functions of the

Communication Methods: Instructors’ Positions At Istanbul Aydin University Distance Education Institute

online tutors and simply stated these roles in various types as direct human-human communication; transaction router; storage and retrieval functions. Berge [13] pointed out that most important role of the tutors is the responsibility of keeping discourse, contributing special knowledge and insights, weaving together various discussion threads and course components; maintaining group harmony. In addition, Berge [13] categorized four roles of successful online tutoring which are pedagogical (intellectual, task); social (social presence to overcome social barrier); managerial (organizational, administrative); technical (technology transparent). Coppola et al. [14] provided insights on pedagogical roles and changing roles of the tutors within online learning and teaching process. Lim and Cheah [15] provided positive insights to the Berge [13] study on the roles of the tutors and explored these roles in online discussion within a Singapore case. Lim and Cheah [15] categorized roles of the tutors as managerial, facilitating and pedagogical roles. The study examined the pre-discussion, during the discussion and the post-discussion evaluations on the role of the tutors by focus groups and discussion record analysis. Significantly, Maor [16] provided a framework for the participatory action research process in relation to research focus where focus on dialogue, instructor c-learning and the joint construction of knowledge. The simple metaphor of the “four hats” of pedagogical, social, managerial and technical actions is used as a framework to discuss the roles of the tutors and the construction of knowledge based on the convergence of social presence and interaction. In respect to worthwhile reality on the status of distance education institutes, proposing change-oriented actions for the development of working practice is crucial [10]. Research focus covers the changing roles of the tutors, building and maintaining the awareness on the necessity of new pedagogy in online context differing from traditional context, creating awareness on the importance of

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social presence and communication to help student construct knowledge within the institute’s online courses and applications. 1.2 Aim of the Research The proposed project aims to investigate the impact of communication practices within organizational change and development. In respect to this broader aim of the project, the research is taken place at distance education institute at Istanbul Aydin University which is the innovative and strategic unit of higher education to reach out quality and global standards. In relation to that worthwhile reality, current roles of the online tutors and changes on the roles after the training based on participatory action research is examined. Additionally, the impact of social presence and facilitation role of the tutor in the construction of knowledge is explored within the study. Thereby, the selected case provides to develop working practice and academic agenda could gain insights from proposed action plan and process in order to improve their performances. The main aim of our project is to create an action plan for the development of Distance Education Institute based on European University Association Standards by focusing on the roles of tutors in facilitating communication to overcome social barriers in constructing knowledge. The research is significant with its action plan by aiming to reach out the following objectives: (1) To provide in gaining awareness on the relevance of communication, organizational climate in Distance Education Institute and online learning and teaching in order to focus on social interaction; (2) To provide trainings on the roles of tutors and create a consciousness on their roles in online learning and teaching process; (3) To enhance online socialization of students by overcoming social barriers; (4) To create an organizational culture to Distance

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Education Institute by focusing on communication practices between tutors and among students.

2. Method 2.1 Research Design and Approach Research relies on inductive process that experiences, meanings of participant are constructed from social context within a qualitative research nature [17]. Action research approach was chosen for this work based project as it allows the researcher to use as a method in setting where a problem involving people, tasks and procedures cries out for solution, or where some change of feature results in more desirable outcome [18]. Action research can be used as an evaluative tool, which can assist in self-evaluation for an individual or an institution. It was thought that action research approach would make an environment of improving the rationality and justice of professional practices within self-reflective self-critical context that relies on improving practice.

tutors to make them trained and developed awareness on contemporary tutoring roles in distance education practices. Self-reports of the online tutors and students help to understand the online learning and teaching process in relation to realize changes on roles of tutors. Keeping diary about the actions within the research process verifies the accuracy of findings. In managing data and increasing the credibility of findings, collected data are triangulated and content analysis is used. 2.3 Ethics Qualities that make a successful qualitative researcher are revealed through sensitivity to the ethical issues. The researcher’s role within research process became essential that researcher enters into the lives of participants and share participants’ experiences. Therefore, stressing researcher’s role by technical and interpersonal considerations enhances the degree of trust, access in the research. Having time to focus issues, considering resources are not enough

2.2 Data Collection Techniques and Analysis

to be qualitative researcher that qualitative researcher

Qualitative research covers participatory action research that researcher attempts to use series of action to change and develop institute’s performance on new pedagogy based on the collaboration of the members. During the participatory action research, focus groups, in-depth interviews, self-report and researcher diary are used as data collection techniques. Firstly, focus group is used as a milestone data collection technique to create awareness on communication for change and development and gain the initial perceptions of the members. In addition, there is intensified need to examine that what the extent the online tutors have awareness on their roles in online learning-teaching process differing from traditional context, online tutors perform facilitation roles within online learning and teaching process. Therefore, in depth interview is used to gain in-depth insights from understandings and experiences of the online tutors. Training process is done for the online

needs to be active, patient, thoughtful listener, have emphatic understanding and respect (Hubbard, Power, 1993). In this respect, ethics in work based project is crucial that there is an intensified need to concentrate on conditions and guarantees proffered for school based research project. In this project, the principles which are remaining anonymous, treating with the strictest confidentiality, verifying statements when the research draft form, submitting final copy of final report, benefiting report to school were the initial considerations before making research into practice [18]. Feedback was guaranteed by researchers in order to increase confidentiality and building trust between researchers and participants.

3. Results At the end of the research project, the following outcomes are expected to have:

Communication Methods: Instructors’ Positions At Istanbul Aydin University Distance Education Institute

(1) Different tutors from different departments and backgrounds will gain pedagogical knowledge and reflection about online education; (2) Having consciousness on the roles of online tutors and students through training for their personal and professional development; (3) Collaboration and negotiation can be created among online tutors in order to develop their collegiality and critical friendship for organizational knowledge and development; (4) Strong communication can be created within Distance Education Institute to create an organizational climate and culture; (5) Enhancing quality mission of the Istanbul Aydin University regarding the Distance Education Institute practices based European University Association; (6) Enhancing the reputation of Distance Education Institute within and outside of the university; (7) Providing a handbook for online program and courses of Distance Education Institute at Istanbul Aydin University; (8) Being beneficial to our institution and other departments within the university.

4. Discussion 4.1 Self-evaluation on Research Process Work based study is the reflective process which requires practitioners engage with those we work with and the way we see the world. In other words, it is the engagement with problem where researcher act for the solution, attempt to create difference, critically understand the context and learn within the research process. Learning and the reflection are the critical factors which bring practitioner to the success. In this respect, reflecting on actions and learning are the significant part of the research process. In order to implement research, researcher needs to be secure on subject knowledge, expertise, and choice of approach and data collection techniques. Therefore, engaging various events, negotiation with others, working hard on

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writing up crucial chapters of project, preparing research package and process guideline were the evidences to justify that researcher has struggled with challenges and gained confident to implement process. Having a worthwhile research topic and its significance to the work context is the influential factor to be succeeded. Investigation on literature underlined the gap in relation to research focus. In line with the literature analysis, EUA report on distance education practices justified the necessity of work based project in relation to new roles of the tutors in online

education

for

sustainable

change

and

development within work setting. In this respect, having consciousness and confidence on worthwhile topic provided destination to implement practical project. Educational background and positive relationship within work environment draw attention to be confident for implementing research process by minimizing challenges of access and the specialization. Because, access and being highly expertise on the subject field and process may create challenge to implement research process. Knowing more about context, subject field helped overcome these challenges. In addition, creating a voluntarism to be part of the research and increasing the sensitivity on ethics are also milestones of successful process. Therefore, preparing research package which consisted of aim, importance of research, role of the researcher, process with approach and data collection techniques, consent forms provided significant evidence to justify that researcher has rationale to create awareness about research in order to increase participation for change and innovation based on ethical understanding. Also, preparing research process guideline which gives detailed information on trainings, data collection techniques is the justification of the research questions and process which proposed to implement. Reviewing guideline by experts and piloting increased the

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credibility of the process and created confidence for the researcher. As the reflection is central essence of the work based learning, having high level of responsibility on pre-planned actions provided confidence for the researcher and reflection, negotiation on these activities increased the learning.

5. Conclusions It is work based project which requires collaboration of the colleagues to propose change for better working practice. Reflections and learning experiences of researcher from research process are aimed to share with academic community. High risks and questionable rewards are the reality for most complex organizations experiencing rapid change. Work, even in higher education, is shifting toward greater interdependence among individuals to create collective and synergistic products and services using advanced technology. As the boundaries between traditional positions blur, role clarification becomes increasingly important. In this learning environment, the role of the ODL instructor requires the merging of multiple roles. The convergence of advances in computer technology, rapidly growing enrollment needs, and cost cutting measures for higher education suggest that innovative solutions are required. The findings of this study illustrate the complexity of the role of the online instructor through a unique perspective in which two types of roles were examined in great detail.

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