By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

This is what we know:  eLearning has become a powerful, always-evolving and flexible way of fostering learning that, when well-designed, speaks to learners’ multiple learning styles, accommodates their constantly shifting locations and contexts, and employs the real-life Internet and mobile technologies that they prefer to use (and which they already own or have ready access to).  One of the biggest selling points is the convenience for the student.  However, if well-designed eLearning were not effective, students would not continue to come back, year after year.  Further, instructors would not continue to feel enthusiastic and would not report positive experiences if there were not something occurring that completely transcends what many people think of as distance learning.

Part of what makes eLearning successful is that it allows students to succeed by personalizing their experience.  It allows them to achieve a high level of cognitive receptivity.

Cognitive receptivity is a state of mental preparedness. It is a combination of cognitive readiness, which would have to do with the learner’s levels of development, and of psychological openness, which has to do with how the learner views the institution, the technology, and the instructors.  A high level of cognitive receptivity results when the individual learner possesses the following:

a) a high desire to understand the material to be learned;

b) a high tolerance for frustration;

c) a good foundation upon which the content will be built;

d) support, either remote or face-to-face, to resolve issues that involve finances, research, library, texts, etc.;

e) high level of motivation, generally a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and clear rewards;

f) a way to relate the material to his or her experiences;

g) a belief that the instructor will demonstrate empathy and will use positive reinforcement; that the instructor has a desire to help the student succeed (rather than to trick the student);

h)  trust in the institution, and a belief that the institution is sincere in its desire to create a positive learning experience;

i)  belief that the course itself is worthwhile, and that content of the course is credible and of high quality.

The eLearning program that is flexible and makes content and learning activities available on the equipment / materials that the student already owns can maximize cognitive receptivity.  The mobile learning device (mp3 player, pda, video player, laptop, smartphone, etc.), can help the student capture content when he/she is at the highest level of cognitive receptivity.

With the advent of “traditional” online learning programs, researchers such as Christiansen, Anakwe, and Kessler (2001), attempted to look at the influences of technology and the perceived reputation of distance (vs. classroom) learning.

More recently, Xhang (2005) published findings based on his study of the following: “gender, age, computer experience, leaming style, and students taking an educational technology (EDTC) course and students taking a statistics (non-EDTC) course” (Xhang, 2005, p. 45).

Since the time of Christiansen etal’s research, distance learning (namely eLearning) has made great strides in terms of perceived legitimacy, making their findings fairly out of date. Xhang’s research may be confusing because some of the attributes he measures may not be as relevant as they seem.  For example, desire to learn, tolerance for frustration, and reason for taking the course may make age irrelevant.  It might be good to probe some of the underlying assumptions, too.  So-called “digital natives” of a certain age group are not, simply by virtue of their age, more adept with technology.  Socio-economic and other demographic factors may be a more significant influence.  Further, m-learning as well as better faculty training and access have had an impact.

It might not be a bad idea to take the complex factors proposed as the major components of cognitive receptivity and to place them into a more formal structure, and then to develop an instrument or way to evaluate programs in terms of maximizing cognitive receptivity.

[Listen to the companion podcast at:
http://community.elearners.com/blogs/inside_elearning/attachment/610.ashx - 3.50 MB]

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