Handbook of Online Education

This practitioner-focused handbook, addressing the ‘stuff’ of online learning, was a joy to read and review. Interestingly labelled almost a ‘recipe book’ by its authors, this resource book draws substantially on Salmon (2000, 2002), Stephenson (2001) and Garrison and Anderson (2003) in offering practitioners: the underpinning theories in a reader-friendly language, detailed guidelines akin to lesson plans for the facilitation of online learning, scaffolded activities and links to further reading/activities pinned to the ‘recipe board for use, adaption and comment’.

This is an excellent transition handbook aimed at education and training professionals new to online education. However, more experienced online educators will also find useful tips and strategies as examples are drawn from multiple contexts. There is a strong focus on creating meaningful learning environments and cultures, facilitating learning and assessment and much careful consideration of the teacher’s role in online education. Online learning is viewed as a partnership with evolving active roles for both learners and teachers. Significant emphasis is placed upon the vital need to develop teacher and learner social presence to facilitate the evolution of learning and teaching roles with clear guidance on the need at times to ‘lighten the touch’ and manage conflict.

The handbook’s recipe/’how to’ approach offers clearly modelled generic transferable activities which develop from simple to more complex learning encounters whose emphasis is on learning to learn online in a range of contexts. A good range of examples is provided for consideration and their use with individual, pairs, large and small groups in synchronous and asynchronous interactions is illustrated. Examples include the traditional use of VLE-type discussion activities, m-learning with ESOL learners using text messaging and email to encourage language development in their target language, mindmapping for research and assessment, webquests to develop information literacy skills and dialogue-based ePDP.

I found this handbook to be sensible and supportive, accessible and encouraging with the reader/teacher/education professional encouraged to experiment and ‘dip in’. If I have a slight criticism it’s that I found the position of the resource map in tabular form before the introduction in the handbook a little off putting as my first interaction with the content of the handbook. However, after reading the handbook and returning to the map it was very useful in allowing me to dip back in and find the specifics. If allowed a wish list for this handbook I would suggest colour coding the map and subsequent resource sections, as this would aid the reader at times.

This handbook does indeed do what it says on the tin and provides a range of practical and innovative ideas and activities to promote online learning. Its strength lies in its use of underpinning theory coupled with years of experience in facilitating online learning communicated clearly and engagingly to the reader/teacher in a scaffolded and supportive manner.