Module 4: Comments to Classmates

Comments to classmates:


Cora Blades


Cathy Marziali

Module 4: Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

How can a teacher bring the technological tools learners are using outside the classroom into the educational process, and which tools and strategies are best for this purpose?  A piece of technology that most students bring into the classroom is their cell phone.  Currently, this piece of technology is generally required to be turned off, hidden away, and forcefully ignored.  Does this have to be the case?   

Some strategies that teachers can use to implement cell phone technology in the classroom could be:

Provide an authentic collaboration lesson where the students divide into groups to solve a real world problem such as the clearing of a forest to build a mall.  Students can use their cell phones to go to the site and create geographical markers of where all the trees are overlaid with where the proposed mall would be located.  They could call the local town hall and their city representatives to find out more information and speak with those who are at the forefront of this issue.  The students can text their findings to each other, create video blogs made with the use of their smart phones.  The final project can be a videoconference with a local councilperson or researcher to present their findings and collaboratively reflect with each other to brainstorm more ideas.

References:

Anderson, T. (Ed.). (2008). The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193. Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.

Module 3: Feedback to the Learning Community

Feedback given to Cora Blades:


Blog
http://corablades.blogspot.com/2011/10/assessing-collaborative-efforts.html?showComment=1318718768210#c5021260817995982345


Story Board
http://corablades.blogspot.com/2011/10/video-presentation-storyboard.html?showComment=1318719011684#c4266534860060346645


Feedback given to Christopher Cannon:


Blog
http://christophercannon.blogspot.com/2011/10/assessing-collaborative-efforts.html?showComment=1318719237121#c197730744029822776


Story Board
http://christophercannon.blogspot.com/2011/10/storyboard-for-video-presentation.html?showComment=1318719462508#c251620750562938399

Module 3: Assessing Collaborative Efforts

George Siemens states that assessment in a collaborative environment can be very difficult because the students share a score, and the grade may not reflect any individual’s performance.  There cannot be the assumption that you can put people together to work on a task, and they will automatically become a team and know how to work together (Hurst & Thomas, 2008, p. 468).  It is important to make participants feel comfortable with, and trusting of, the online environment early in the process (p. 447).  In a group, the individuals each bring in their own expertise, strengths, and weaknesses – just like in the “real world”.  For an instructor to ensure a “fair and equitable assessment” of learning, then the objectives and rubric for the project need to be clear and understandable by all students.  The students also need to have all of the information and skills necessary to complete the tasks at hand.  The instructor also needs to place students together in groups who can meet at common times, are able to communicate with each other, and have the technological skills to complete the tasks.

George Siemens says that there is a growing emphasis of doing things in groups, learning is becoming collaborative in nature, and the individualistic model of education does not reflect society and the networked age we live in today.  If a student does not want to work in a collaborative environment, than supports within the distance education school should be used to intervene.  This can include academic support, one-on-one communication with the instructor, or other resources at the school.  If this is an isolated situation, then I don’t think that the learning objectives, rubric, or assignment should be modified.  An online group discussion or arbitration may be necessary.  If this is an ongoing issue within a certain class, then the curriculum and/or projects should be revisited and possibly modified.  The instructor also can modify the lesson plans and/or project to make it more accessible to different learning styles, but the learning objectives and desired outcomes should be the same for all students.

References:

Hurst, D., & Thomas, J. (2008). Developing team skills and accomplishing team projects online. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed., pp. 441–472). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning. Baltimore: MD, Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Learning Communities. Baltimore: MD, Author.

Module 3: Storyboard for Video Presentation

Introduction/Overview (1 minute)	The introduction/overview will provide an effective and specific summary detailing the specifics on the topic of social presence in a distance-learning program. Title Slide:  Social Presence in Distance Learning Definition of Social Presence:  The ability of a learner to have a real relationship with other members of his/her learning community despite barriers of time and distance. We are Social Beings – Learning is Social – Imagine being the only student in a class, you only hear your footsteps in the halls, the lecture hall is empty, you sit by yourself in the classroom, you sit alone in the lunchroom, the library is empty, there is nobody there to talk about things that you don’t understand, there is nobody there to celebrate your successes with you. Examples of Social Presence:  Learning stories, digital storytelling, regular participation in discussion forums, cyber cafes, usage of first names, alternative communication tools (Twitter, etc.), synchronous video enabled chats, etc.
Research (1 minute)	Presentation of research and data supporting use of social presence in a distance-learning program. Present 6 pieces of research – highlights, key findings, etc.
Critical Analysis (1 minute)	Critically analyze and assess the impact of one social trend on educational technology, and the influence of educational technology on one social trend based on solid research support. The educational technology that I will focus on is Ning.
Best Practices (1 minute)	Present best practices of social presence by using specific examples of how I use it in my classroom (Ning and Edmodo).  This will show exemplary application of content to authentic situations with relevant and appropriate conclusions based on literature.
Conclusion (1 minute)	Conclusion will leave the audience with a question that stimulates thought about the topic of social presence.

Reflection on Learning Community Blogs

Reflection on blog of Cora Blades:


I too believe that communication is an essential part of a distance learning program, but I remember the first online courses that I took had minimal communication. This must have been over 10 years ago when we were just getting used to e-mail and going to websites. I am impressed that you contact your parents by e-mail! Most of the my students' parents don't speak English or even know how to use a computer. I can imagine a day when we can send an e-mail in English, and then it gets automatically translated into whatever language is used for the destination.

By the way, I have 1-to-1 computers for all of the students in my classroom. Yes, my students log in to their Ning accounts everyday and write in the e-journals. I have found that this works best as an everyday activity to get the students accustomed to being part of an everyday "conversation".




Reflection on blog of Christopher Cannon:


I am excited to hear that you use online technologies in your elementary school. I believe that it is so important to get our young minds accustomed to technology at a very early age. I just read a news article about ipads being used in kindergarten (Clcik HERE for the story and video)

I wish I had this technology when I was little. By the way, my 10 year old niece helps me out with my smartphone when I can't figure something out!