Learners' perceived information overload in online learning via computer-mediated communication

Autor: Karen L. Murphy, Susan Pedersen, Chun-Ying Chen
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2011
Předmět:
Zdroj: Research in Learning Technology, Vol 19, Iss 2 (2011)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2156-7069
2156-7077
DOI: 10.3402/rlt.v19i2.10345
Popis: Many studies report information overload as one of the main problems that students encounter in online learning via computer-mediated communication. This study aimed to explore the sources of online students' information overload and offer suggestions for increasing students' cognitive resources for learning. Participants were 12 graduate students from two online courses in the United States. Their learning experiences in both online discussions and on the course website were explored through semi-structured interviews. They also completed a background questionnaire that assessed three constructs that limit learner readiness and are likely to lead to online students' perceived information overload: inadequate prior knowledge, inadequate English proficiency, and lack of technical skills for participating in computer-mediated communications. The findings suggest that varied learner characteristics led some students to be more susceptible than others to information overload. Emerging data-driven risk factors were: lack of efficiency in reading from computer screens, visual and auditory learning preferences, and time constraints. Difficulties associated with students' perceptions of information overload are addressed and implications for course design are offered.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals