Learning to Learn Online

Reviewed by Xinyue Ren, Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University on 1/5/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The open book is comprehensive to cover all important areas of online learning. It is divided into seven sections, and each section focuses on one aspect of online learning skills, as indicated in online learner, online learning journey, online instructor, time management, professional communication, online assignments, and strategic reading.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The included learning materials, examples, and assessments are accurate and from reliable resources. The resources are also appropriate and unbiased for the target learners.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The open book is timely and relevant to the growth of online learning in various educational contexts. As the open textbook mentioned, the open book is necessary for students who are new to online teaching and learning and prepare them for the needed knowledge and skills to be successful in online education.

Clarity rating: 5

The open textbook is clear to understand. The inclusion of multimedia resources and examples also helps clarify the learning content.

Consistency rating: 5

The content in the open textbook is consistent, with the introduction, examples, and learning activities.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is divided into small chunks that are easy to read and digest. Each page is assigned to a point and aligned with a specific purpose. It takes less than five minutes to read each page, without presenting much disruption to the learners.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The sections of the open textbook are well-organized in a logical order. On each page of the section, the content is also organized for readability.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. The included multimedia resources are also easy to access, view, and navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The open textbook is free of grammar errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The open textbook is culturally sensitive and includes resources that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. In the textbook, several chapters discuss the role of online learners in developing a culturally inclusive online learning community, such as providing and receiving feedback and sending emails.

Comments

Overall, the open textbook is a valuable resource for students who are new to online teaching and learning in postsecondary institutions. The content of the open textbook is important to equip students with the needed skills and knowledge to foster their online learning readiness. I would recommend every online learner to use the open textbook. However, to increase students’ technical skills, there is a need to include the content associated with the use of learning management systems, video conferencing tools, and other relevant technologies. It would be even more beneficial to use the textbook and deliver relevant workshops while taking online courses. Repeated practices and applications are important for students to transfer knowledge to their online learning experiences.

Reviewed by Tasha Williams, Interim Writing Center Coordinator, Leeward Community College on 4/30/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

True to the book's title, I was intrigued by the way it encourages online learners to develop a meta-cognitive lens. Most of the essential understandings, knowledge, and skills are supported. Materials provide students with opportunities to apply and integrate skills and concepts. This book is a valuable contribution to online learning.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content appears accurate, clear, and in sequential order. In terms of readability, it is appropriate for learners.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Students will be able to relate to this text, and it is easy to understand. It is relevant, timely, and intrigues the reader to want to learn more.

Clarity rating: 5

The readability is clear and appropriate for online learners. The writing style and syntax are varied and appropriate to enhance student understanding. This textbook's vocabulary consists of both familiar and challenging words.

Consistency rating: 5

The organizational properties of the textbook assist in understanding and processing content on a consistent basis.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is divided into palatable chunks that are easy for the reader to understand, in keeping with the stated goals. Materials provide students with opportunities to integrate skills and concepts.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The textbook is logically organized and appropriate for students. It is divided into 7 sections that are organized in a clear and cohesive manner.

Interface rating: 5

The text is free of major interface issues that might distract the reader.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The writing style and syntax are varied and appropriate to enhance student understanding. Vocabulary consists of both familiar and challenging words.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is relevant for diverse students from all walks of life.

Comments

This is a well-written, practical, and manageable text that I will use in future classrooms.

Reviewed by Drake Zintgraff, Academic Counselor, Honolulu Community College on 4/30/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The text covers a pretty wide array of very important and relevant sections related to being successful as an online learner. The text covers the material as well from a comprehensive learner stand point in that it would be applicable for first time to college learners as well as those trying to improve their online learning skills. There is no index or glossary, but there is a summary of references and collection of downloadable resources from all the sections in the book.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content in the text is accurate, error-free, and unbiased. In addition, graphics and resources are laid out in a natural way without bias towards specific demographics.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Content is up to date and although uses the context of online learning when providing learning habits, the core of the information transcends the online setting and is useful in traditional in-person settings as well. This makes it easy if updates are needed it will not need a rewrite from the ground up and likely only need slight revisions to keep up to date.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is very straight forward and stays away from technical terminology, acronyms, and similar types of writing. In addition, the visual and supporting resources in the text is well thought out and helps to make it even easier to grasp the material that is presented in each section.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is laid out very consistently from one section to the next and makes it very easy to tell where topics connect or a new section/theme starts. This helps with the reading experience as well as being able to be used as a reference text later as well.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is highly modular between sections. It would be very easy to only assign or use relevant sections and ignore the rest if that was most applicable to a specific class needs. Each section is pretty self contained and would not be hard for readers to use only one section without the other.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics are pretty well laid out. Some sections depending on how an instructor wanted to assign readings in the book could benefit from being moved ahead of another, but overall it does not take away from the reading or learning experience if it was read straight through and still get the same takeaways.

Interface rating: 5

Each section is well laid out with a balance of text, visuals, and interactive activities. In addition, navigating between sections is well done in the table of contents. To go back to as a reference text as well it is very easy to find where you want to go with both the table of contents outline and the topics within each top level section in the table of contents.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is presented in a neutral way that did not come across as culturally insensitive or offensive. There may be some sections that if being taught outside of higher education or US may want to tweak for context to better fit to experiences in those settings, but that is likely to be an issue in most texts similar to this.

Comments

With a drastic shift of classes being offered online this text provides a great starting point and reference for students to use to help with learning how to be successful in an online setting. In addition, it provides great examples that would help students in their learning for their classes they may have in an in-person setting as well.

Reviewed by Melissa Nakamura, Instructional Designer, Kapiolani Community College on 4/21/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

There are seven parts to this text that covers a variety of topics to help the reader become an online learner. While the topics are directed towards online learning, many topics could easily be applied to all learners in general. There is a table of content but no index or list of topics at the end of the text. There is a list of downloadable resources by chapters, which can be very helpful for the reader.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate, error-free, and unbiased. Footnotes are provided on certain pages and a list of references is listed at the end of the text.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text is written with up-to-date content and strategies, some of which have been around for many years. Because of the way the content is organized, with multiple sections within each chapter, it would be easy to update one section at a time.

Clarity rating: 5

The text was written jargon-free. The text is written in everyday language, with any terminology defined within the text. Videos are incorporated throughout the text supplementing the text, providing another option for the reader to interact with the material.

Consistency rating: 4

The text is easy to follow and well organized. The only inconsistency is that sections, chapters, and modules are mentioned throughout the text but not clearly defined.

Modularity rating: 5

The online text is nicely chunked into small readings that do not make it overwhelming for the reader. There are 7 parts to the text which each part has broken down into smaller lessons making it easy to identify and assign specific parts of the text for student reading.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in the text are organized in a logical and clear fashion. There are some great topics that can be applied to all learners, regardless of the modality of learning.

Interface rating: 4

In the online version of the text, there are videos and activities that are placed in the wrong area of the book. For example, in the Make Use of Small Blocks of Time section, there is a short quiz about working in teams. In the pdf version of the book, some of the images are blurry and/or unreadable such as the cognitive, social, and teaching presence image and the Becoming a Team: Framework for Working Together image. The online version of the text is easy to navigate with a next page link at the bottom of each webpage and a table of content available on each page, allowing the reader to easily see where they are in relation to the rest of the text or to jump to another portion of the text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text does not appear to have any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

In general, the text is not culturally insensitive or offensive but there are examples and strategies of learning that may be more applicable to the American learning environment.

Comments

The topics covered in this text are key foundational skills that all online learners should learn and are applicable to all different types of course learning, whether it is a degree-seeking student taking a course for credit or a professional taking an online professional development course. The short quizzes embedded throughout the text are helpful for the reader to check their understanding of the reading. The template documents and worksheets provided throughout the text are useful resources to incorporate into the text allowing the reader to immediately start to incorporate the skills learned in the text into their studies.

Reviewed by Michael Larson, English Instructor, Minnesota State HTC on 6/25/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Important ideas and areas related to online learning are certainly included within this text. The content promotes thought from within the reader. Opportunity to include content regarding some important behavioral aspects of learning may have been missed i.e. concentration; motivation; etc.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Content appears accurate, mostly error free, and as unbiased as any self-help text may attempt to be.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Content includes relevant and contemporary information related to online learning.

Clarity rating: 4

The clarity of this text, and ancillary components, is one of its many strengths. It is written using general vocabulary and basic structure. When more technical jargon is introduced, it is at times reinforced with graphics, video, or other devices.

Consistency rating: 3

Some consistency issues are present throughout the text. Occasionally the author refers to module as chapter. Another constancy issue found was some topics/sub-topics included a great deal of content while others only slight or superficial.

Modularity rating: 5

The modules of this text were reasonably divided and organized well. Students will easily manage navigating through each module using the Table of Contents sidebar.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

Most of the topics of this text appear to be presented in a logical order and manor. It is interesting to note that the "Strategic Reading" module appears at the end of this text. Students may find some of the content of this module applicable, and put it to practice, as they read the content of the entire text.

Interface rating: 5

While navigating each element of this text, no significant issues were encountered in any way.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This text contains no noticeable grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This text does not appear culturally specific though may be geared more toward a North American audience. It written using English language text and subtitles/Closed Caption are available in most videos used throughout.

Comments

This text is an easy read and interactive enough to keep learners engaged. Consider this text for students who are completely unfamiliar with the online learning world. Prepare to supplement with other resources that will enable students to succeed. This may include a deeper dive into technological literacy and basic computer applications and functions.

Reviewed by Gail Wilbur, Faculty in Reading and Student Success, Minnesota State on 6/3/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text is a great way to introduce students to the study strategies and skills needed to succeed in an online course. I appreciate the range of topics that the book covers. Many students don’t realize the need to change the way you think when you take an online class. The author does a nice job of making sure the student sees all the elements needed to be successful and provides helpful lessons to practice these elements. The index is clear and helpful. Each section is set up more like a module with videos and activities to help the learner.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate and written to relate to online learning. The content is unbiased and accessible to students. The only thing that stood out to me is the school specific language that is used (i.e. moodle, “presentation” instead of “syllabus”).

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Learning to Learn Online is relevant as the field of online learning continues to increase for new students. It allows the students to learn about the process of learning and to evaluate the strategies they have to be able to transfer this information to online learning. The information presented is relevant to successful learning in general and is applicable to the range of online learning that will be asked of them (hybrid courses, online assignments and reading), not just fully online courses.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written so that those who have a varying range of knowledge regarding the learning process can access and apply the information that is presented. The author uses a consistent graphic throughout the book to tie each chapter together. Concepts are explained well and graphics, videos and short quizzes are provided to offer learners multiple ways to process information. All embedded videos are transcribed which is helpful.

Consistency rating: 5

A strength of this book is the level of consistency that is seen throughout. Each chapter is set up as a module which allows the student to read, relate and practice what they learned. The language used is consistent throughout the book. As a teacher, it makes it easy to scaffold for the students from one chapter to the next.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is divided up into connecting modules. It does rely on the organization of the book to carry the message. However, it is not so heavily relied on that the message is lost if the modules are taken apart. If the teacher wanted to use only a chapter/module for the lesson, it would be able to stand on its own. I will be able to take some of these modules and use them for my in-class sections as well.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The author uses an info-graphic to help show the organization of the modules in the book. I appreciate that it consistently comes back to the same info-graphic to show connections between material and progress. Each module was organized similarly and contained examples, videos and downloadable handouts and reflections.

Interface rating: 4

The online text was free of any issues. It was easy to navigate between modules via the table of contents. Readers are also able to “turn the page” with an arrow in the bottom corner of the pages. However, the pdf version of the book was more difficult to navigate as it did not have the same functionality of the online version. Pictures and videos were not displayed, however the transcript for the video was included.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is free of significant grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is inclusive to students, it is not culturally insensitive or offensive. It provides fairly general information for online learners. The language was neutral and examples given were applicable. Sometimes, the text seemed geared to traditional students in terms of the examples given. Non-traditional students may not see themselves reflected as much.

Comments

I felt that this was a useful tool for students who are just beginning their journey into online learning. It really emphasized that learning is an active process even when it is delivered in a non-traditional classroom setting, which is often what my students have difficulty with. I especially appreciate the message to build community. I will be using portions of this book in both my online course as well as my hybrid course.

Reviewed by Kodi Buell, Director of Online Learning, Trine University on 5/30/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

There is a table of contents but no official index or glossary at the end of the text. A glossary might be helpful for readers to reference. There is however a congratulations section with additional resources for students to seek out additional information on developing their learning skills. Also included are templates from various chapters for students to print and plan out their study habits.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content in the text seemed accurate. There is also a list of 15 references at the end of the text for learners to further investigate if desired.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text was recently authored (2018) but the focus of the content was basic so that learners can acquire general knowledge on how to be successful as an online learner.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is supported by videos and images, which is helpful for learners who are more visual learners. It also helps break up the monotony of just text.

Consistency rating: 5

The text seemed very consistent throughout.

Modularity rating: 5

Most pages were relatively short which helps the reading not feel so overwhelming. Paragraphs within the reading were short with ample spacing in between. The text flowed and seems easy to manage.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Yes, the text structure and organization seemed logical and clear. I would like to see the navigation improved, other than that the actual order of the content flows from one area to the next. I've elaborated more on navigation in the "Interface" section.

Interface rating: 3

Being an online text for new online learners, I think it would be helpful to see some instruction on how to use and navigate the text. The pressing issue I have in this is area is knowing to use the navigational arrows at the bottom of the page window to turn the page forward or backward. Initially I had looked for page links, immediately following the last sentence and hadn't realized that they were stationary on the window. The page links stood out to me is because the bar is red. This could be a potential issue for individuals who are color-blind. Lastly, it would be helpful for learners to know that they can click on the images to enlarge the image text. Text on some of the images were small and on a whim I clicked on them to see it would enlarge and it did.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text applied to all online learners. It was written by employees of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, which is located in British Columbia, however the content relates to all online learners, regardless of their geographic location or cultural diversity.

Comments

I mainly reviewed the text from a web browser on my laptop. I'm unsure whether accessing from a mobile device would change any of my comments.

Reviewed by K Kennedy, Assistant Professor of Practice, Open Oregon Educational Resources on 4/15/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The authors share ideas, information, and learning/literacy strategies (i.e., using rubrics, SQ3R; taking notes with Hypothes.is; and locating text features) about how to engage in productive online learning platforms as a learner. Text references research to support "best practices." The authors also offer productivity tools for organization, communication, and time management tools (e.g., worksheets, templates) and examples.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The authors provide variety of tools and information to support learners who are new to online learning, but they also offer ideas for those who need a "refresher." Text includes research citations to ground the content from theory to practice.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The authors take a general approach about how to support for learners to develop the skills to successfully navigate and complete online courses, not specific to any online learning platform. The tools for evaluation (and self-assessment) and content acquisition and demonstration of learning (e.g., learning goals, evaluation rubrics, feedback) can be universally applied. The text includes instruction about how to use one electronic tool (Hypothes.is).

Clarity rating: 5

Text provides a flow chart "journey" that identifies section/chapter benchmark "hot spots." On the welcome page, the flow chart is divided into two images. For the first (half of the) flow chart, the three (yellow) hotspots (+) represent the core modules labeled as "Who am I as an online learner?" "Who am I on my learning journey with?" and "Who are my instructors? What is their role?" For the second (half of the) flow chart, the blue hotspots (+) are supplemental chapters that encompass content focused on skill development. Text is written and spoken in English. Readability is approximately tenth grade. There is also a drop down menu to access modules and sections along with arrow clicks to move forward or backwards, one page at a time.

Consistency rating: 4

The (whole) flow chart is revisited (without the interactive hot spots but with colors along the continuum) for each of the core modules and supplemental sections. Both of these segments are further partitioned into chapters that answer the module question or address the section topic, e.g., Time Management, Professional Communications, etc. There is a reasonable amount of consistency within the framework and design of the text. The core modules and (supplemental) sections are sequenced according to the flow chart, not by numbering.

Modularity rating: 5

Text and images complement each other, which necessitates the reader to interact with both, not solely with one or the other medium. Chapters include relatively small chunks of text with images and interactive pages with quizzes, video, downloadable text links drag-and-drop items. Pagination throughout the modules is achieved by clicking text with right-facing or left-facing-arrows or by making selections from the drop-down menu.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text is divided into three core learning modules and four skill-based modules. Text categories with complementary images with course navigation pathways that include "hot spot" descriptions. Modules include learning objectives and summaries of learning. Chapters are listed in ascending order throughout the entire text as opposed to in each module or section. For example, the first module "Who am I as an online learner?" includes Chapters 1-4, which was followed by the second module "Who am I on my online journey with?" includes Chapters 5-9. The four skills-based sections (categorized by topic) followed the modules (categorized by question), one after the other. For this reader, the ordering system made it difficult to identify, which delineations were modules or sections and how all of them connected to each other and the text as a whole.

Interface rating: 4

Images on the first page can be zoomed out to full screen although the content besides the hot spots becomes disproportional. Readers can access content by taking quizzes (and receiving feedback) and watching/listening to embedded videos. The hotspots (that note the module purpose) and color-coding (that represents a "progression bar") are helpful to navigate the text but only the color coding is available after the welcome page.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Text includes some typographic errors (mange, not manage), grammatical errors ("Who am I on my online learning journey with?" "Who are my instructors? What is their role?," and words across text lines that seem unnecessarily hyphenated (jour-ney, sup-ports, strate-gies, etc.) and are distracting to this reader.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Text includes some interchangeable use of terms, e.g., module, chapter, section, etc. and metaphors to describe actions and interactions as a learner and as an instructor that may be confusing to readers whose first language is not English. However, readers can access content from various media (written, visual, and audio). Blue color-coding in the visual flow chart shows readers' progression through the text but it may be too subtle for those readers who are color-blind.

Comments

I read this text from the perspective of a hypothetical graduate student who was a "first time" online learner and new member of my course.

Reviewed by Dr. Meg Cavalier, Adjunct Professor, Bethel University on 4/14/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Learning to Learn Online provides students and faculty with a thorough overview of online learning. Sections include a focus on the learner as an individual, learning with cohort online, how to interface with an instructor, time management, professional communication, preparing for assignments and strategic reading. This comprehensive content is sure to provide guidance for all adult learners who are just starting or continuing their journey with online learning.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content presented in the book is of high quality and does not include errors. The perspectives are unbiased and accessible to all readers. Graphics are neutral and engaging.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

While online learning is ever changing with new platforms and approaches, Learning to Learn Online provides approaches, mindsets, and strategies that are applicable in a variety of settings and platforms. The title of the book provides an accurate summary of the textbook. It helps students understand how to effectively navigate an online course.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is easy to read and flows within each section and between sections. The book is accessible to all readers at any entry point with the topic. Context is provided in each area and is free of technical terminology.

Consistency rating: 5

The content and formatting of the text is consistency which supports the high level of readability.

Modularity rating: 4

The online textbook was very easy to read. The text is broken up by images and links, all which are relevant. The chapters and sections within each section were an appropriate length.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics in the book are organized in an effective structure. The content in each chapter matches the title. After reading the book, I was able to navigate quickly to a section I wanted to revisit. Text and resources are very clearly organized within each chapter.

Interface rating: 4

The interface is clear and straightforward. There were no errors or navigation problems. Understanding how to move from chapter to chapter and topic to topic was not initially clear. However, once the reader finds the structure it is easy enough. There are multiple ways to move through the content, one being linear as if turning pages in a book and the other selecting via a table of contents.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is well written and free of technical and grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is not specific to a specific culture, nor does it include offensive topics or language in any way. The graphics are neutral yet engaging.

Comments

This book is an excellent tool for students who are new to online learning or those hoping to gain skills to refine their approach. The broad overview and resources provided ensure that the reader will be able to apply the content to their practice. I found several helpful videos and was inspired to better support online learners. This book will be a part of future courses I teach online!

Reviewed by Katie Chavis, Assistant Professor, LSUS on 4/13/19, updated 5/6/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook includes the key topics that are needed to produce successful online learners.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The concepts presented are accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

With so many courses and programs moving to online content, this is an extremely relevant discussion.

Clarity rating: 5

This book is very user friendly. The language is easy to understand and appropriate for the content. Terminology is defined in a way that makes it useful to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook uses terminology consistently and sticks to the framework presented in the introduction.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is laid out in a fashion that is congruent with class meetings or workshops.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization is well thought out and encourages participation in the modules.

Interface rating: 3

The online book is great but the downloadable PDF version has errors and missing information. Images are out of alignment or missing.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

The online version is fine but the downloadable PDF version has errors. Part 1 is labeled Part 2.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The interactive online version includes videos that are diverse in races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. I would rank this higher if there was more diversity discussion in Part 3. This section is specifically about getting to know your online classmates and glosses over diversity and the effect diversity has on classroom interactions.

Comments

This is a great resource for all college or other students interested in taking online courses. This is a meaningful resource for instructors to utilize as they design their online coursework!