Abstract
The chapter is focused on the problem of educational interactions within E-learning environment. The main questions are: how E-learning environment participants initiate and maintain communication and how an E-learning environment quality can be accessed via the educational interactions analysis? Two directions of E-learning environment interactions assessment are described: formalized assessment, carried out by a teacher on the account of basic educational interactions algorithms; students' self-assessment. The first direction of assessment is proposed to be carried out with the use of basic algorithms of educational interactions in E-learning environment; while the second direction of assessment involves telecommunication reflexive educational technology.
TopBackground
In E-learning environment educational interactions have a different nature in comparison with a traditional educational environment. In contemporary research there are several directions in studying mediated interactions and communication in E-learning environment. Firstly, on-line communication is researched from various aspects: online and offline discussion strategies (Gao, Wang, Sun, 2009); computer supported collaborative work (Sela, 2013; Minocha, 2009; Chan, 2012), human-computer interaction (Konstantopoulos & Karkaletsis, 2013), communication theory (Oni, 2013; O’Connor, & Joffe, 2014). These scientific approaches are partly applicable to E-learning. However, scientific apparatus does not apply fully to the solution of educational problems. Therefore, we can conclude the need to find a common methodological approach to the development and assessment of educational interactions in E-learning environment.
Educational interactions in E-learning environment can be analyzed as a special type of activity. Human activities may be directed to the transformation of nature, the material world, symbolic systems, technology, and can be directed to other people as subjects of interactions. These last two aspects are the essence of the educational interactions.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Activity Approach to Educational Interactions: According to this approach, educational interactions are considered as special types of human activities, directed to other people as subjects of interactions and reflected in E-learning environment.
Educational Interactions: The key component of any educational environment, representing joint activities and communication of educational environment participants. It is implemented in a dialectical unity of information form and content (educational resources), social experience transfer (communication) and management of this process (control).
Self-Assessment: The process of looking at oneself in order to evaluate important to one's identity aspects.
Digital Educational Resources: A set of software, information, technical and organizational support, that reflects a certain subject area and implements the technology for its study by different learning activities.
Personal Learning Environment: Self-organized learner’s information surrounding, developing in accordance with individual needs, demands and interests.
E-Learning Environment: Software telecommunications environment, which provides technological means to conduct the educational process, its information support and documentation in the Internet to any number of educational institutions, regardless of their professional expertise and level of education.
Algorithm of Educational Interactions: Sequence of actions, summarizing the typical features and generalized images of computer-tools based interactive tasks solutions.