Online Persona

This analysis has been done for a Hybrid and Blended Learning Online Course I decided to take with the Laureate International Universities Faculty Development program. Its sole aim is to present the kind of online persona my students have at Universidad Latina in Costa Rica.

The analysis was done bearing in mind the task provided below, the following short essay/analysis was carried out.

Before you can become an effective online instructor, it is important to understand the students you will teach. Based on your past experience as an online learner or the experience of someone else you know that has been an online learner, build an online student persona.

Ulatina Online Persona

As a senior member of the English Department at Universidad Latina and someone who started out with some sort of blended learning directly linked with Project-Based Learning (through WebQuests) initially, I have a good insight on what the typical student looks like at the university.

Agewise, our students range from 17 to 24; people we can perfectly be labeled as digitally natives. These digital learners are motivated intrinsically and extrinsically. The former form of motivation is seen in their choice of majors, which somehow depict their inner learning passions. The latter form of motivation tells us that extrinsic (outer) factors, being those things what their parents do for a living or any other person who left a great imprint on the students’ lives, encourage them to become the professional they dream of.

Being our Ulatina students people whose age group ranges from 17 to 24 also lets us know their digital predisposition or preference for learning. With so many different technological gadgets at hand, you walk around the campus to see learners using all kinds of mobile devices: iPods, iPads, tablets, notebooks, laptops, iPhones, smartphones, etc. And if one stops to ask them for apps they download for learning, they do have lots of interesting stuff to share.

At Ulatina three distinctive groups of students can be clearly identified when it comes to talk about “responsibilities.” The first of the three groups is that one made of students whose parents (or someone else) pay for their full term tuition. These learners’ “obligations” are linked to studying and getting good marks at the university. Secondly, we have students who study on a loan. That is, because they want to become full-time students and want to finish their major quickly, these learners apply for a loan, and as soon as they graduate, they start paying back. In terms of “responsibilities,” these students are similar to the first group. Lastly, we have learners who work to pay for their tuition, and whose economical contribution at home is vital for their families, whether they are single or married.

Among the challenges Ulatina digital learners face, it is a must to state the fact that social media (basically being Facebook) hinders their learning time because it has become some sort of addiction. Being social media a great means of communication and gathering the latest information, Costa Rican young adults have mistaken their use. Instead of using it for learning exponentially beyond their classrooms and courses, much social media is used for other frugal purposes. And as a teacher, or b-learning instructor, it affects me in F2F sessions since many of them are text-messaging rather than using the mobile devices for accomplishing the learning goals for my lessons.

If I became an online instructor, this sort of behavior may affect them more that it might affect me. The reason seems to be obvious: If the learners do not submit their work on a given deadline, they lose vital points for their final grades. Somehow, students at Ulatina need to learn how to manage their learning time efficiently; otherwise, their social media addiction can ruin a brilliant course performance.

Online Persona by Jonathan Acuña

Friday, May 24, 2013