Three views of learning among e-learning courseware:
1. Information Acquisition (receptive)
2. Response-strengthening (directive)
3. Knowledge construction (guided discovery)
One of the advances that the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) is starting to initiate is the e-learning aspect of training. Since the inception of the department there has only been one way to delivery training, face-to-face. In reaffirming what Clark & Mayer (2003) discuss regarding cost, I have to tell you that without well designed trainings that brings back value to the organization, it is hard to continue to justify some of the soft-skill trainings that take place. However, with the utilization of e-learning, this type of training becomes more of a reality.
In reflecting on Clark & Mayer (2003), it highlighted a lot of strategies that I put in my instructional design for my learning community (thank goodness it matched). However, I also noticed that many of these strategies, such as using “pictures to deliver the content” and using “instructional methods such as examples and practice” to assist in transfer of knowledge is similar to that of face-to-face training. It appears to be more of the platform that changes versus the content. In continuing to read through the text, I made a connection with my own learning community being “far transfer” (Clark & Mayer, p.19, 2003). What I appreciated the most about the text is that I can use this as a job aid for when I start to design more e-learning courses at work. For me, providing me with the pitfalls of e-learning is just as important as the rest of the text. Most importantly for me, it includes instructional design components throughout and having one text that focuses on designing e-learning is more practical that thumbing through three or four books to try and align instructional strategies to fit the desired platform.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Week 7 Reflections
1. How can 3-D technologies be used to create online social environment and support social interactions among community members? What are the theoretical rationales underlying the pedagogies of using 3-D environment for the benefits of learning and to achieve educational goals? (Ch. 5 - required for all)
• The development and design of the 3-D technologies create a space that allows a multitude of people (participants) to engage and interact in activities that are important to them. The technology can create a virtual space that allows individuals/groups a simulation of the real-world. Due to the design of the 3-D technologies, the learner’s knowledge is scaffold to that individual. The benefit of this is that learners can grow and develop at their own pace. Vygotsky called this the “zone of proximal development.” The experiences that people bring with them will only enhance the level of learning that takes place within this learning community. What I particularly like in collaborative learning is that as a learner, you get to decide which style of learning best fits you and who that comes from. Since there are many people sharing thought, ideas and reflections, you have the ability choose.
• Pedagogies:
o Social Constructivist – supports reflective thinking and problem solving.
o Sociocultural theory - Allows the examination of the external social world in which a learner has developed. Vygotsky thought is that, “deep learning in a predictable cycle: first, on a social level and second on an individual one.”
o Situated Learning - I see situated learning as more of an adult learning principle, which would then be classified as andragogy versus pedagogy. However, the 3-D technology provides the context of putting the learners in a space that provide a real-world context.
o Piagetian Constructivism – the environment establishes grounded knowledge acquisition that allows the learners to build higher-level representations from lower-level ones.
o Cognitive Apprenticeship - this is student-centered learning where a master of a skill teaches that skill to an apprentice.
2. How was the game “Reliving the Revolution” designed and PDA used to support collaborative problem solving activities? (Ch. 13)
• First, the individual that designed this game sought after technology that was already proven to work. With the AR game editor from MIT, Reliving History was a possibility. Essentially, they took the parts that worked and designed new content in a new context. The PDA was then used so that the students could “interact” within the created virtual experience. The PDA provides the students an opportunity to engage in collaborative learning by giving them the freedom to walk around and work with other students as they are interacting in the virtual world trying to seek out (inquire) (problem-solve) the answer to who fired the first shot. Additionally, one of the key elements in this instruction was the understanding of the cyclical process of the design. They used a level of formative evaluations to continue evolving the learning experience. Perhaps that is the key to every instructional design, not just the designs that include technology.
• One of the key words that were used in this chapter was the word “encouragement.” I think designing games such as Reliving the Revolution provides another avenue for learning but does not force the students to learn or do anything they are not comfortable with.
• The development and design of the 3-D technologies create a space that allows a multitude of people (participants) to engage and interact in activities that are important to them. The technology can create a virtual space that allows individuals/groups a simulation of the real-world. Due to the design of the 3-D technologies, the learner’s knowledge is scaffold to that individual. The benefit of this is that learners can grow and develop at their own pace. Vygotsky called this the “zone of proximal development.” The experiences that people bring with them will only enhance the level of learning that takes place within this learning community. What I particularly like in collaborative learning is that as a learner, you get to decide which style of learning best fits you and who that comes from. Since there are many people sharing thought, ideas and reflections, you have the ability choose.
• Pedagogies:
o Social Constructivist – supports reflective thinking and problem solving.
o Sociocultural theory - Allows the examination of the external social world in which a learner has developed. Vygotsky thought is that, “deep learning in a predictable cycle: first, on a social level and second on an individual one.”
o Situated Learning - I see situated learning as more of an adult learning principle, which would then be classified as andragogy versus pedagogy. However, the 3-D technology provides the context of putting the learners in a space that provide a real-world context.
o Piagetian Constructivism – the environment establishes grounded knowledge acquisition that allows the learners to build higher-level representations from lower-level ones.
o Cognitive Apprenticeship - this is student-centered learning where a master of a skill teaches that skill to an apprentice.
2. How was the game “Reliving the Revolution” designed and PDA used to support collaborative problem solving activities? (Ch. 13)
• First, the individual that designed this game sought after technology that was already proven to work. With the AR game editor from MIT, Reliving History was a possibility. Essentially, they took the parts that worked and designed new content in a new context. The PDA was then used so that the students could “interact” within the created virtual experience. The PDA provides the students an opportunity to engage in collaborative learning by giving them the freedom to walk around and work with other students as they are interacting in the virtual world trying to seek out (inquire) (problem-solve) the answer to who fired the first shot. Additionally, one of the key elements in this instruction was the understanding of the cyclical process of the design. They used a level of formative evaluations to continue evolving the learning experience. Perhaps that is the key to every instructional design, not just the designs that include technology.
• One of the key words that were used in this chapter was the word “encouragement.” I think designing games such as Reliving the Revolution provides another avenue for learning but does not force the students to learn or do anything they are not comfortable with.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Reflection I Summary
The model of my virtual learning community is designed using Moodle software. This free, open-source software allows me to scaffold the knowledge (Renninger & Shumar, 2002) of supervisory level and above staff at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS). The learners will range from Nursing Supervisors to Directors of Facilities. The learners are located in multiple locations across the state of Oklahoma. The learning community will be discussing leadership topics that they can apply in the context of their own facilities. Since each of these supervisors have a mandatory requirement of fulfilling 12 hours of supervisory credit annually, their motivation for participating will be high. In addition to their forced motivation, the supervisors are excited for the launch of the online community so that they do not have to travel to the training center in Oklahoma City.
The virtual learning community will include web-based trainings on specific supervisory topics. Asynchronous discussion (Renninger & Shumar, 2002) forums will be added to each of the topics for the purpose of creating on-going, collaborative learning. The discussion forums will also allow learners to make connections with the material that they may not have made during the web-based training. Although the initial web-based training will be done synchronously (Renninger & Shumar, 2002), the learners have different work schedules that do not allow for the synchronous communication. Overall, the asynchronous communication assists the learners who need more flexibility in their communication and due to my target learner group; this was the most practical solution.
I have a great start to the construction of my virtual learning community. A lot of what I have learned over the course of these last few weeks has assisted in my ability to create a level of substance to the scaffolding I am designing within the ODMHSAS supervisory virtual learning community.
The virtual learning community will include web-based trainings on specific supervisory topics. Asynchronous discussion (Renninger & Shumar, 2002) forums will be added to each of the topics for the purpose of creating on-going, collaborative learning. The discussion forums will also allow learners to make connections with the material that they may not have made during the web-based training. Although the initial web-based training will be done synchronously (Renninger & Shumar, 2002), the learners have different work schedules that do not allow for the synchronous communication. Overall, the asynchronous communication assists the learners who need more flexibility in their communication and due to my target learner group; this was the most practical solution.
I have a great start to the construction of my virtual learning community. A lot of what I have learned over the course of these last few weeks has assisted in my ability to create a level of substance to the scaffolding I am designing within the ODMHSAS supervisory virtual learning community.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Case Study 1: Part A
While I was in Digg, I watched some of the videos and navigated to all of the categories and subcategories listed on the front page. When I first came to the website, my first thoughts were that it was going to be all entertainment videos and I use the word entertainment lightly as everyone has their own opinion of what they consider entertainment. However, Digg also has specific categories and subcategories that will direct the community members in their desired interest; such as the categories New, Videos, Images and Podcasts. These categories are then separated into subcategories: technology, world and business, science, gaming lifestyle, entertainment, sports and offbeat. This “front-end loading” (Renninger & Shumar, 2002, p.314) provides members with a quick snapshot of the learning within the site. As a guest in this community, I found it very straightforward and my interest could have been easily identified. In addition, I think that by categorizing the virtual learning community in the categories and subcategories, I feel that finding the subgroup of community members that want to further discuss the topic(s) that individuals are interested in is easily identifiable. From that design, individuals do not have to observe and search for people that want to discuss the same topics they want to discuss. Overall, I found that people who are looking for a good laugh and some form of community entertainment will utilize Digg. I found myself sharing a number of the video clips with friends as well.
The purpose of the social networking website is to provide a community where individuals can come together and share their outside experiences. Renninger & Shumar (2002) state that “a virtual community is defined as a group of people who interact with each other, learn from each other’s work, and provide knowledge and information resources to the group related to certain agreed-upon topics of shared interest” (p.96). In essence, they are bringing their external worlds, to an internal community called Digg. The primary goal of the community is to provide an interactive space that is polysychronous to the individuals seeking some form of entertainment and community. The secondary goal would then be to retain and attract new individuals to the community, which in turn would lead to the goal of financial support. In order to maintain some level of control over the community, the design structure would include professionals that maintain at the very least the content. The community needs to be given new information frequently, hence that is why they are attracted to the site in the first place. The need is a desire to constantly have new information in whatever form they desire, to be taken in and processed. As part of that information processing, the individuals seek other like individuals online to share and explore their experiences with the topic they choose to be most appealing.
The identity of the community members is related to their interest and the topics/categories of information they seek when participating in the virtual community. Although some of the individuals uploaded pictures of themselves, their true identity still seems to be associated with their interest. The individuals who are attracted to this community seem to have a desire to stretch their imagination and witness unfound video from every day people like you and I. Their imagination is stretched and fulfilled with each clip that they take in and with each conversation that have with other community members. The “interaction is a design feature” (Renninger & Shumar, 2002, p.62) that has proved to be successful for Digg. If it was boring, there would be no point in returning.
The major opportunity that I see in this social networking community is the development of relationships. In addition, due to the intentional design of the community, the members have a voice in deciding on the videos that get to come to the forefront. That alone is a motivational factor that provides members the opportunity to have a voice and be heard. I guess the best word to describe that is empowerment. In an overall sense, these community members have an opportunity to make someone fairly famous from their submitted videos, they have the opportunity to make decisions on content, they have the opportunity to share thoughts, ideas and reflection on the information provided and lastly, they have the opportunity to be noone else but themselves. I will always argue that there is a wall of security in communicating through something rather than communicating face-to-face. Renninger & Shumar (2002) discuss how important it is for the participants (members) to feel safe to ask questions and seek new information without judgment. For a lot of people, this community is the opportunity to be their authentic self since they have this security of believing and feeling that they will not be judged in the same way you would in a face-to-face setting. The possibilities of this community are endless. They can create and integrate whatever interests them. It is that level of autonomy that fuels the innovation and creativity of the members to participate and interact with the website. What other place in the world can you go to or join that allows that level of freedom? For the members, this virtual community is what I would call their utopia.
The structure of Digg is set up with categories and subcategories for easy navigation. Individuals can see what is most recent to information that was shared many weeks out. As a new user, it was easy for me to navigate to topics that I would find interesting. For instance, I clicked Podcast as a category and then business as the subcategory and one of the podcast that you can download is on management tools. I found that to be very appealing as I can download this and get weekly communication on management tools that I could apply in my own context. On a more entertaining note, as mentioned before, I did watch a number of the videos that were uploaded on the website.
Digg has designed the websites so that the community members interact with the content, whether that is text, video or polysychronous communication with other members. As part of the interaction, Digg has also designed the feature to allow the community to decide on what is posted on the front page of the website. The design provides the community with a level of control which as I said before empowers the community members to feel a part of the Digg community. When you reflect on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Ormrod, 2008), Digg has created an environment that provides safety needs, love and belongingness needs, esteem needs and a need for self-actualization. I am not sure if I would call these salient design features but they are an important part of the overarching design.
Overall, the Digg learning community was a helpful experience in shedding my own personal biases on virtual learning communities that are not sharing scholarly content. Digg is entertaining and provides information suitable for a wide array of individuals. One of the most important features I found is that it is just not for the teenage population who just likes to view videos; instead, you can utilize this site to learn about world news and find out what is going on in multiple areas of interest. It is my opinion that Digg will sustain the peaks and valleys of the social networking communities due to the level of control they give to their members. After all, it is still a customer service world and Digg developed this website with having a clear understanding the importance of balancing service to the customer, innovation, and a degree of motivation that will retain and attract the members back on a consistent basis.
Case Study I: Part B
The virtual community from the online repositories that I studied was Wisc-Online. As I navigated through each of the listed options listed, I felt that Wisc-Online would be practical for me to know seeing that I am not in K-12 education. The front page included a partner called WIDS (Worldwide Instructional Design System) that motivated me to continue navigating this virtual community. Since my interest is in Instructional Design, I figured this online site could prove to be a useful tool in the future. In trying to gain a solid understanding of what exactly Wisc-Online provided, I clicked on every available link and radio button that was available. I did this by creating a user account so that I was able to access more of the information than without a user ID. Individuals without an ID are kept at the home page without access to any substantial content. The first impression I had seemed to carry on throughout my experience in Wisc-Online, which was not favorable. This is more of a service to professionals versus a tool for designing instruction. The beneficiaries of this site are individuals working at Fox Valley Technical College. It is my opinion that students, faculty and administration of this college make up the virtual community.
Wisc-Online is a practice-based learning community. Riel & Polin (2004) describe a practice-based learning community as a community that “…arises around a profession, discipline, or field of endeavor” (p.26). At Wisc-Online, the foundation of the community is to build interactive web-based instruction for internal use at Fox Valley Technical College as well as for external distribution at a cost. In addition, this site will also allow interested members to purchase workshops and consultation services. The purpose of the community provides a service to individuals interested in web-based learning and instructional design as well as providing a data storage for the designs already created. The goal then becomes two-fold. I see the primary goal as the desire to generate funding and the secondary goal as the pure desire to share knowledge. The unique aspect of Wisc-Online is that the sharing of knowledge is really a first hand look at what the technical college is creating for their own learners. As a business, it is an ideal snapshot of how the customer can utilize and apply these instructional designs. I was initially excited to see that there was an option to create a template web site creator; however, it was a generic template that would not allow much creativity or practical utilization. More specifically, it only allowed me to input information on one page and the radio buttons were preset for you. Adding the name of a design and the description of the content was the extent of the template creator they list.
It is my opinion that this community internally, Fox Valley Technical College, utilize this stored information every day. This site fulfills a need to provide access to shared data storage with the ability to create and communicate asynchronously with users of the instructional designs and external members viewing the designs.
There seems to be an opportunity that has yet arrived for Wisc-Online. I see more opportunity in creating links for external members that is more user friendly and offer greater information about designing online instruction. I also see that this internal learning community, Fox Valley Technical College, will partner with other colleges and institutions regionally and nationally. Their idea of sharing internal information to the outside world for a price is exceptionally intelligent. The possibility for this community is endless, as an educational institution, they can create a separate empire that will not only help the school financially but also offer experiential learning to their students. This is truly a creation of a new kind business for educational institutions.
I find that the structure is more about showcasing the designs of the web-based instruction and providing small amounts of information on the added services they offer. There is little structure on asynchronous or synchronous communication for external members. Without having the ability to be a part of the internal community, it is hard to understand why a communication tool was not a salient design feature. The idea of co-creating knowledge within this community seems to be non-existent. There is no real tool for the dialog to happen. On a more positive note, I was able to review some of the web-based designs and construct ideas from their creations.
The internal community defines and refines their identity based on the topics they have an interest. For instance, the site offers a library of content that ranges in subject topics from Biomolecules, The Carbohydrates to Professional Development. Although not a part of the internal community, my outside perspective includes their identity being based on again subject interest, their roles in the college and their practice of utilizing this site to enrich their learning environments. It is the community’s end user (students) who benefit from the designs and creation of the web-based learning tools. The knowledge that is constructed and the application of the material that the student takes away from the learning environment ultimately shape the community. For instance, if multiple students take these web-based instructions and they did not walk away with a level of understanding, then this community as we know it would not continue to exist. So the mere fact that it is still in existence with a wide variety of subjects tells us that the community’s efforts are useful and practical. I would also venture to say that as time progressed, the designs will evolve with the target audience. What I mean by that is, I viewed a design on Optical Encoders and as I was viewing this instruction the thought that came to mind was “entertainment.” I watched a shaft rotate and found that to be entertaining but yet my level of understanding was not questioned. I think that as the learners begin to apply what they learned or did not learn from these web-based instructions that they will eventually incorporate a test for knowledge spots throughout the instruction.
The design features of Wisc-Online leads a member right to the library of web-based instructional designs. Perhaps the funding that is generated from external members purchasing these designs will allow for the site to stay active. If this is the case, the salient design of the community is ideal; it leads member’s right to their product. In addition, by providing snapshots of the instructional designs, it give potential buyers a level of comfort in knowing exactly what they are buying and who they are buying it from. The wide array of subjects illustrates the community’s development over the lifespan of this site. I believe that they will be able to sustain through the constant development of instructional designs and from the motivation of the faculty at Fox Valley Technical College. Since there is dual purpose for this virtual community, the external factor does not seem to play an important role in the sustainability of this community.
The level of scaffolding in Wisc-Online is a far stretch from constructing cognitive learning skills in the pedagogy that is apparent in the other listed virtual learning communities. Ormrod (2008) describes scaffolding as “…a highly effective way of helping learners acquire complex reasoning, metacognitive, and problem-solving skills” (p.335). However, I can make a connection in scaffolding in the skill of instructional design. If members purchase their consulting and workshop offerings and utilize those learned skills to construct meaningful web-based instruction, then I could confidently say that scaffolding has occurred. Aside from that example, scaffolding is not apparent in this virtual community.
Overall, I found Wisc-Online to be only helpful to the internal learning community of the college that supports the website. For the external members who navigate through this community, it would be helpful to have web-based training on instructional design as the external members of this community are trainers, instructional designers and educators looking to create web-based instruction. I would also add video components to this learning community, such as video footage of students and faculty who work with these web-based designs. In addition, I would create a chat room for open dialog for internal and external members to share thoughts, ideas and reflections. This community seems fairly basic without a lot of learning elements in the design for external members. I would suggest making the internal member and external member benefits fluid so that Wisc-Online would attract and retain a greater number of community members.
The virtual community from the online repositories that I studied was Wisc-Online. As I navigated through each of the listed options listed, I felt that Wisc-Online would be practical for me to know seeing that I am not in K-12 education. The front page included a partner called WIDS (Worldwide Instructional Design System) that motivated me to continue navigating this virtual community. Since my interest is in Instructional Design, I figured this online site could prove to be a useful tool in the future. In trying to gain a solid understanding of what exactly Wisc-Online provided, I clicked on every available link and radio button that was available. I did this by creating a user account so that I was able to access more of the information than without a user ID. Individuals without an ID are kept at the home page without access to any substantial content. The first impression I had seemed to carry on throughout my experience in Wisc-Online, which was not favorable. This is more of a service to professionals versus a tool for designing instruction. The beneficiaries of this site are individuals working at Fox Valley Technical College. It is my opinion that students, faculty and administration of this college make up the virtual community.
Wisc-Online is a practice-based learning community. Riel & Polin (2004) describe a practice-based learning community as a community that “…arises around a profession, discipline, or field of endeavor” (p.26). At Wisc-Online, the foundation of the community is to build interactive web-based instruction for internal use at Fox Valley Technical College as well as for external distribution at a cost. In addition, this site will also allow interested members to purchase workshops and consultation services. The purpose of the community provides a service to individuals interested in web-based learning and instructional design as well as providing a data storage for the designs already created. The goal then becomes two-fold. I see the primary goal as the desire to generate funding and the secondary goal as the pure desire to share knowledge. The unique aspect of Wisc-Online is that the sharing of knowledge is really a first hand look at what the technical college is creating for their own learners. As a business, it is an ideal snapshot of how the customer can utilize and apply these instructional designs. I was initially excited to see that there was an option to create a template web site creator; however, it was a generic template that would not allow much creativity or practical utilization. More specifically, it only allowed me to input information on one page and the radio buttons were preset for you. Adding the name of a design and the description of the content was the extent of the template creator they list.
It is my opinion that this community internally, Fox Valley Technical College, utilize this stored information every day. This site fulfills a need to provide access to shared data storage with the ability to create and communicate asynchronously with users of the instructional designs and external members viewing the designs.
There seems to be an opportunity that has yet arrived for Wisc-Online. I see more opportunity in creating links for external members that is more user friendly and offer greater information about designing online instruction. I also see that this internal learning community, Fox Valley Technical College, will partner with other colleges and institutions regionally and nationally. Their idea of sharing internal information to the outside world for a price is exceptionally intelligent. The possibility for this community is endless, as an educational institution, they can create a separate empire that will not only help the school financially but also offer experiential learning to their students. This is truly a creation of a new kind business for educational institutions.
I find that the structure is more about showcasing the designs of the web-based instruction and providing small amounts of information on the added services they offer. There is little structure on asynchronous or synchronous communication for external members. Without having the ability to be a part of the internal community, it is hard to understand why a communication tool was not a salient design feature. The idea of co-creating knowledge within this community seems to be non-existent. There is no real tool for the dialog to happen. On a more positive note, I was able to review some of the web-based designs and construct ideas from their creations.
The internal community defines and refines their identity based on the topics they have an interest. For instance, the site offers a library of content that ranges in subject topics from Biomolecules, The Carbohydrates to Professional Development. Although not a part of the internal community, my outside perspective includes their identity being based on again subject interest, their roles in the college and their practice of utilizing this site to enrich their learning environments. It is the community’s end user (students) who benefit from the designs and creation of the web-based learning tools. The knowledge that is constructed and the application of the material that the student takes away from the learning environment ultimately shape the community. For instance, if multiple students take these web-based instructions and they did not walk away with a level of understanding, then this community as we know it would not continue to exist. So the mere fact that it is still in existence with a wide variety of subjects tells us that the community’s efforts are useful and practical. I would also venture to say that as time progressed, the designs will evolve with the target audience. What I mean by that is, I viewed a design on Optical Encoders and as I was viewing this instruction the thought that came to mind was “entertainment.” I watched a shaft rotate and found that to be entertaining but yet my level of understanding was not questioned. I think that as the learners begin to apply what they learned or did not learn from these web-based instructions that they will eventually incorporate a test for knowledge spots throughout the instruction.
The design features of Wisc-Online leads a member right to the library of web-based instructional designs. Perhaps the funding that is generated from external members purchasing these designs will allow for the site to stay active. If this is the case, the salient design of the community is ideal; it leads member’s right to their product. In addition, by providing snapshots of the instructional designs, it give potential buyers a level of comfort in knowing exactly what they are buying and who they are buying it from. The wide array of subjects illustrates the community’s development over the lifespan of this site. I believe that they will be able to sustain through the constant development of instructional designs and from the motivation of the faculty at Fox Valley Technical College. Since there is dual purpose for this virtual community, the external factor does not seem to play an important role in the sustainability of this community.
The level of scaffolding in Wisc-Online is a far stretch from constructing cognitive learning skills in the pedagogy that is apparent in the other listed virtual learning communities. Ormrod (2008) describes scaffolding as “…a highly effective way of helping learners acquire complex reasoning, metacognitive, and problem-solving skills” (p.335). However, I can make a connection in scaffolding in the skill of instructional design. If members purchase their consulting and workshop offerings and utilize those learned skills to construct meaningful web-based instruction, then I could confidently say that scaffolding has occurred. Aside from that example, scaffolding is not apparent in this virtual community.
Overall, I found Wisc-Online to be only helpful to the internal learning community of the college that supports the website. For the external members who navigate through this community, it would be helpful to have web-based training on instructional design as the external members of this community are trainers, instructional designers and educators looking to create web-based instruction. I would also add video components to this learning community, such as video footage of students and faculty who work with these web-based designs. In addition, I would create a chat room for open dialog for internal and external members to share thoughts, ideas and reflections. This community seems fairly basic without a lot of learning elements in the design for external members. I would suggest making the internal member and external member benefits fluid so that Wisc-Online would attract and retain a greater number of community members.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Blog 2
General impressions and reflections
Chapter 10: Understanding the Life Cycles of Network-Based Learning Communities
My first thought as I started to read this chapter is the use of life cycles. By using the term “life cycles” it implies extinction. However, I do not necessarily see that all network-based learning communities have an end. At the same time, in the context of this chapter, the six stages that are described give a different perspective as projects end with a wrap up and a publication. Anyway, just a thought that I wanted to put out there!
I also feel like the underlying premise of this chapter was about the mediator’s role and how this role essentially dictates the future of the learning communities. As we have been discussing the last couple of weeks, the person in-charge of the specified learning community needs to be constantly aware of the learning or lack of learning that is taking place. With all that said, this aspect needs to be strategically developed during the instructional design phase. When I connect the instructional design concepts from the text, The Systematic Design of Instruction by Walter Dick, Lou Carey and James Carey (2005), I can not help but see some of the similarities in the cycle.
Although Stage 2: Refinement in Levin et al. (1992) seems to be linear in the course of the six stages, I personally find that stage to be cyclical in the sense that the rest of the stages can resort back to refinement if needed. I find that it would better understood and applied as it is illustrated in the Dick and Carey model I have pasted above.
By creating this project, both participants (students and teacher) became actively engaged, to the point of accelerated learning. By “doing”, both participants applied new and preexisting skills (my view of constructivism) in multiple contexts, which will assist them to recall new skills in situations when needed. Additionally, this also illustrates the mentor role educators can play in guiding the student learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the addition to the classroom. I feel that it provides students with multiple approaches to learning. Although some students enjoy and excel at one-way transmission and the direct instruction approach, others do not. It is similar to the learning environments that I create at work; we have to take into account the multiple learning characteristics that exist, not just the majority or the “cookie-cutter” approach that seems to be the easiest.
Lastly, I find the information to be helpful in deciding the best way to implement and apply my own learning community at work. Originally I had wanted a discussion forum with a select group of leaders to continue, without a predetermined end. I now see that my original idea may not best idea and putting an end to it may actually assist in the success of the discussions.
Chapter 10: Understanding the Life Cycles of Network-Based Learning Communities
My first thought as I started to read this chapter is the use of life cycles. By using the term “life cycles” it implies extinction. However, I do not necessarily see that all network-based learning communities have an end. At the same time, in the context of this chapter, the six stages that are described give a different perspective as projects end with a wrap up and a publication. Anyway, just a thought that I wanted to put out there!
I also feel like the underlying premise of this chapter was about the mediator’s role and how this role essentially dictates the future of the learning communities. As we have been discussing the last couple of weeks, the person in-charge of the specified learning community needs to be constantly aware of the learning or lack of learning that is taking place. With all that said, this aspect needs to be strategically developed during the instructional design phase. When I connect the instructional design concepts from the text, The Systematic Design of Instruction by Walter Dick, Lou Carey and James Carey (2005), I can not help but see some of the similarities in the cycle.
Although Stage 2: Refinement in Levin et al. (1992) seems to be linear in the course of the six stages, I personally find that stage to be cyclical in the sense that the rest of the stages can resort back to refinement if needed. I find that it would better understood and applied as it is illustrated in the Dick and Carey model I have pasted above.
By creating this project, both participants (students and teacher) became actively engaged, to the point of accelerated learning. By “doing”, both participants applied new and preexisting skills (my view of constructivism) in multiple contexts, which will assist them to recall new skills in situations when needed. Additionally, this also illustrates the mentor role educators can play in guiding the student learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the addition to the classroom. I feel that it provides students with multiple approaches to learning. Although some students enjoy and excel at one-way transmission and the direct instruction approach, others do not. It is similar to the learning environments that I create at work; we have to take into account the multiple learning characteristics that exist, not just the majority or the “cookie-cutter” approach that seems to be the easiest.
Lastly, I find the information to be helpful in deciding the best way to implement and apply my own learning community at work. Originally I had wanted a discussion forum with a select group of leaders to continue, without a predetermined end. I now see that my original idea may not best idea and putting an end to it may actually assist in the success of the discussions.
What are the specific implications that you have drawn that can be applied to your project of building a virtual learning community? (CH. 10)
Some of the areas that I need to consider when constructing my learning environment are fist and foremost, sending out a proposal message that will get the attention and peak the interest of the staff at ODMHSAS (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services). The proposal message is such a key element in providing a purpose, which all adult learners want and need, and developing goals that will be practical and useful to the learners. One question that I keep thinking about is how I can provide the learners a resource that incorporates their direct managers. As I was reading through Chapter 10, I kept thinking about the value the teachers played in mentoring their students. The same could be applied in a business setting with direct leaders engaging in the learned principles and concepts the staff comes back to their working environments with. As part of the instructional design, I will need to either create discussion boards that allow their direct manager to read and respond or provide leading questions for the direct manager to ask of the staff member. I will also need to ensure I describe and define roles for the participants and how the system works collectively and individually.
Lastly, one of the issues that I have constantly struggled with as I think about the creation of the virtual learning community is creating closure. Specifically, I have a group of 22 Executive Leadership Academy participants that will be completing their 4th and final module that has been going on throughout the year. My issue is that as part of the virtual learning community, I have created a blog for these learners to continue sharing experiences and how they have applied the concepts and principles in their contexts. After reading Chapter 10, I have come to the conclusion that they need closure to feel the benefits of the Academy. However, I may incorporate some of the participants in the next academy so that there are mentors for the participants to reflect and discuss ideas with.
Some of the areas that I need to consider when constructing my learning environment are fist and foremost, sending out a proposal message that will get the attention and peak the interest of the staff at ODMHSAS (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services). The proposal message is such a key element in providing a purpose, which all adult learners want and need, and developing goals that will be practical and useful to the learners. One question that I keep thinking about is how I can provide the learners a resource that incorporates their direct managers. As I was reading through Chapter 10, I kept thinking about the value the teachers played in mentoring their students. The same could be applied in a business setting with direct leaders engaging in the learned principles and concepts the staff comes back to their working environments with. As part of the instructional design, I will need to either create discussion boards that allow their direct manager to read and respond or provide leading questions for the direct manager to ask of the staff member. I will also need to ensure I describe and define roles for the participants and how the system works collectively and individually.
Lastly, one of the issues that I have constantly struggled with as I think about the creation of the virtual learning community is creating closure. Specifically, I have a group of 22 Executive Leadership Academy participants that will be completing their 4th and final module that has been going on throughout the year. My issue is that as part of the virtual learning community, I have created a blog for these learners to continue sharing experiences and how they have applied the concepts and principles in their contexts. After reading Chapter 10, I have come to the conclusion that they need closure to feel the benefits of the Academy. However, I may incorporate some of the participants in the next academy so that there are mentors for the participants to reflect and discuss ideas with.
General impressions and reflections
Chapter 11: Learning in Cyberspace: An Educational View of Virtual Community
In starting to think about my own virtual learning community, it seems only appropriate to conduct a learner and context analysis before taking on the role of the facilitator/initiator in a virtual community. Since I relate more to the creation of educational communities, my impressions and reflections weigh greater on creating learning objectives and facilitating to a group of pre-selected participants. I thought this was important to share so you know the foundation on which I am creating my reflections.
The facilitator in an online community, much like that of a face-to-face community, requires active participation to achieve some level of measurable success. In order to achieve that, the facilitator needs to have some understanding of the participants and engage them into the learning. This is part of the shared responsibility that online community members need take seriously. In terms of our own class and virtual community, if Dr. Ge would allow students to passively read a few of the more active learners responses without posting their own thoughts and ideas, then the entire learning community would lose a great deal of knowledge. By enrolling in this class, all of us understood that part of our knowledge will be constructed by the exchange of information/experiences from each other as well as Dr. Ge. The shared responsibility is a two-way transmission of communication. And as we continue to get to know each other, the better we will become at extracting experiences and asking each other to share information about a topic we know they have experience in. And this can really only be done by the participants/students themselves, the facilitator can initiate it in the beginning but as the learning community grows and evolves, it really comes down to the individual students.
Another element of a virtual community that I feel has its benefit is the involvement of most participants. Typically, in a face-to-face environment facilitators have to worry about normative behavior in which students will agree with the group consensus just so they do not create conflict. Or, they agree so they do not have to explain why they think differently than everyone else. It has been my experience that virtual community members do not fall into that type of normative behavior as frequently as what face-to-face community members do.
As I continued to read through Chapter 11 I found myself wondering if it is common practice to define a self-directed learner. This is one area that I will need to incorporate in my own virtual community as I want the students to go outside of the community to apply and challenge the information that is being shared. However, in order to do this, I want them (the students) to be aware of their own cognition skills. If this is discusses in the criteria that Kollock (1998) discusses, the students will have a framework to organize and construct the new knowledge.
Lastly, I found the discussion and outline of 1) Curriculum of Initiation and Governance, 2) Curriculum of Access and 3) Curriculum of Membership to be a practical approach in creating any learning environment, virtual or face-to-face. In instructional design, these would be part of the analysis process leading up to the design of the instruction. These are incredibly important factors when considering the intention of the learning environment.
What do you see as the possibilities of virtual communities for learning and change after all the chapters so far?
I think there are endless possibilities in creating virtual communities. Any time you can stimulate learning, whether that is through Youtube video or through an online chat discussion for class, learning will happen. And when learning happens, the mental models of the learners are changed. I just feel that with technology growing, virtual communities will become an even greater tool for everyone to use. I know at one point in our discussions, someone brought up the fact that technology can not replace the human interaction and I agree with that. However, I think that technology will open our minds to such greater possibilities that our human interactions will also benefit from it.
Chapter 11: Learning in Cyberspace: An Educational View of Virtual Community
In starting to think about my own virtual learning community, it seems only appropriate to conduct a learner and context analysis before taking on the role of the facilitator/initiator in a virtual community. Since I relate more to the creation of educational communities, my impressions and reflections weigh greater on creating learning objectives and facilitating to a group of pre-selected participants. I thought this was important to share so you know the foundation on which I am creating my reflections.
The facilitator in an online community, much like that of a face-to-face community, requires active participation to achieve some level of measurable success. In order to achieve that, the facilitator needs to have some understanding of the participants and engage them into the learning. This is part of the shared responsibility that online community members need take seriously. In terms of our own class and virtual community, if Dr. Ge would allow students to passively read a few of the more active learners responses without posting their own thoughts and ideas, then the entire learning community would lose a great deal of knowledge. By enrolling in this class, all of us understood that part of our knowledge will be constructed by the exchange of information/experiences from each other as well as Dr. Ge. The shared responsibility is a two-way transmission of communication. And as we continue to get to know each other, the better we will become at extracting experiences and asking each other to share information about a topic we know they have experience in. And this can really only be done by the participants/students themselves, the facilitator can initiate it in the beginning but as the learning community grows and evolves, it really comes down to the individual students.
Another element of a virtual community that I feel has its benefit is the involvement of most participants. Typically, in a face-to-face environment facilitators have to worry about normative behavior in which students will agree with the group consensus just so they do not create conflict. Or, they agree so they do not have to explain why they think differently than everyone else. It has been my experience that virtual community members do not fall into that type of normative behavior as frequently as what face-to-face community members do.
As I continued to read through Chapter 11 I found myself wondering if it is common practice to define a self-directed learner. This is one area that I will need to incorporate in my own virtual community as I want the students to go outside of the community to apply and challenge the information that is being shared. However, in order to do this, I want them (the students) to be aware of their own cognition skills. If this is discusses in the criteria that Kollock (1998) discusses, the students will have a framework to organize and construct the new knowledge.
Lastly, I found the discussion and outline of 1) Curriculum of Initiation and Governance, 2) Curriculum of Access and 3) Curriculum of Membership to be a practical approach in creating any learning environment, virtual or face-to-face. In instructional design, these would be part of the analysis process leading up to the design of the instruction. These are incredibly important factors when considering the intention of the learning environment.
What do you see as the possibilities of virtual communities for learning and change after all the chapters so far?
I think there are endless possibilities in creating virtual communities. Any time you can stimulate learning, whether that is through Youtube video or through an online chat discussion for class, learning will happen. And when learning happens, the mental models of the learners are changed. I just feel that with technology growing, virtual communities will become an even greater tool for everyone to use. I know at one point in our discussions, someone brought up the fact that technology can not replace the human interaction and I agree with that. However, I think that technology will open our minds to such greater possibilities that our human interactions will also benefit from it.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Blog 1
What is a community (How is it defined)? What is a virtual /online community?
A community as a whole is a group of people working together and meeting on a regular basis to share in their common interest. A virtual / online community essentially is the same thing, they (end users) share common interest and meet regularly but the difference between a “community” and an “online community” is that they do not meet in a physical sense.
What bring people together and what motivate them to stay together as members of a community? Cite examples from the recent issues of the Time magazine and/or from your personal experience with a real or virtual community you belong to and discuss the concept of a community.
Members of a community stay together for several reasons, one reason that I currently stay with my previous learning community from Minnesota is the safe/non-judgmental feeling I have when I ask questions and share ideas with the group. I think this is probably a reason many folks continue to be a part of communities, especially learning communities. In the article, Citizens of the New Digital Democracy, Leila says that “The feeling of togetherness is unbeatable. It’s a beautiful thing.” As I was typing this out I could not help but wonder if we choose the virtual community over face-to-face communities simply because we fear rejection and in a virtual community, the idea of rejection is really non-existent. Even if someone came right out and said they did not want you to be a part of the community; it is a form of rejection but the reality is not so up-close and personal when it is coming over the web. Another aspect of the community that is motivating is the quick feedback that it provides. The community, as described in Chapter 3: Community Building With and For Teachers @ The Math Forum, provides continuous learning experiences for the students and teachers a like. The sharing of information and the pure desire to constantly evolve with the participants motivates people to return and bring along friends to join in on the community.
How are the real community and the virtual community similar and different at the same time?
The real community and virtual community is similar in the fact that it is bringing together people who have a common/shared interest. And when they are together they exchange ideas, provide solutions and work together for the common purpose. The difference between the two communities is that one is physical (face-to-face) and the other is via the web. Sometimes people in virtual communities never see the other community members. I would have to say that this can be both a positive and negative as a lot of people communicate and respond to people just based on their non-verbal language. For me, this was one of the hardest aspects to overcome when I became a part of a virtual community. I was so use to picking up what people where trying to say by watching their body language instead of listening to the words coming out of their mouth. However, if the leaders of the virtual community state expectations for the way communication should be written and transferred, then the members will not have to worry about what is “really” being said as what is “really” being said is appropriately stated in the written text.
How do the emerging technologies, specifically the internet, “alter our sense of boundaries, participation, and identity” of a community (p. 14, Shummar & Renniger)?
The emerging technologies have created endless boundaries, greater participation and validation to increase a better sense of self. The creativity and innovation that is shared collectively within a virtual community enhances the systems thinking (thinking in wholes versus parts) within the group. The community provides a wide-angle lens for seeing what can be and answers those very questions with the diverse and passionate individuals that make up the virtual communities. There is no limit to the internet, which allows the community, individually and collectively, to see no limit to what they can create, revitalize, enhance and redesign.
From your own experience of a virtual community, do you think people learn and construct knowledge by participating in the community? If so, what are the implications of a virtual community for learning and change?
Yes, I do think that people learn and construct knowledge by participating in the community. The first thing that comes to mind is the learner’s preparation for participation in the community. It is also implies the learner is the person they say they are. I know skeptics of online learning and virtual communities have often said, “Well, how do you know it is the actual person participating?” I would also have to say that the learners in virtual communities have a shared passion and interest so the transfer of knowledge should be free-flowing. Lastly, I feel that virtual communities have experience in what they are participating in so the sharing of experience becomes an essential tool to enhance the learning within the community. Practical knowledge and experiences that are shared will also be useful to others in the community who will be able to apply the new knowledge almost immediately. And when people are able to make connections with the information with multiple contexts, the probability of the information being processed for future use is heightened. For change, I think it implies that change is constant and will inevitably happen in a virtual community. More specifically, I think it implies that the people who participate in virtual communities want desire and seek out change.
Independent Reflection
I was most connected to the Chapter 3 readings and The Gurus of YouTube article. Chapter 3 triggered my understanding of the human learning principle of information processing in a virtual world. I identified that the learning strategies are designed to provide connections for the student. This is an important aspect of cognitive learning. When the student learns to solve the problem using the connections he or she has made, the probability that the student will be able to solve a like or similar problem is greater. I have to wonder that if students do not have that face-to-face interaction, are they more willing to think on their own instead of trying to negotiate the answer from the instructor or other students in the classroom? I am also a big fan of the feedback that is given to both the students and the instructors in this Math Forum learning environment. This type of feedback will only reinforce the behaviors that are useful to students and instructors; as well as offer suggestions for improvement if necessary. I think sometimes people think that once you reach a certain level, whether that is academically or by title organizationally, you don’t need feedback. This community shares knowledge by working professionals in real situations so that others may benefit. Because of this structure, the individuals involves as well as the community itself will continue to evolve and grow.
The learning community also serves to enhance teacher understanding, which essentially serves as a tool for sharing best practices, with dialog. And, this is all being done “without judgment” to questions, responses and overall communication with one another. The feeling of security is one of those motivating factors that will continue to bring people back. You think about all of those times in a face-to-face classroom setting or even with your own co-workers when you wanted to ask a question but didn’t because of the fear of being labeled and being made fun of by the people around you.
Lastly, I noted the structure of the delivery seems more like a facilitation of knowledge that allows learning to take place both with the student and the instructor, creating a shared sense of responsibility; the responsibility being learning and sharing thoughts and ideas.
A community as a whole is a group of people working together and meeting on a regular basis to share in their common interest. A virtual / online community essentially is the same thing, they (end users) share common interest and meet regularly but the difference between a “community” and an “online community” is that they do not meet in a physical sense.
What bring people together and what motivate them to stay together as members of a community? Cite examples from the recent issues of the Time magazine and/or from your personal experience with a real or virtual community you belong to and discuss the concept of a community.
Members of a community stay together for several reasons, one reason that I currently stay with my previous learning community from Minnesota is the safe/non-judgmental feeling I have when I ask questions and share ideas with the group. I think this is probably a reason many folks continue to be a part of communities, especially learning communities. In the article, Citizens of the New Digital Democracy, Leila says that “The feeling of togetherness is unbeatable. It’s a beautiful thing.” As I was typing this out I could not help but wonder if we choose the virtual community over face-to-face communities simply because we fear rejection and in a virtual community, the idea of rejection is really non-existent. Even if someone came right out and said they did not want you to be a part of the community; it is a form of rejection but the reality is not so up-close and personal when it is coming over the web. Another aspect of the community that is motivating is the quick feedback that it provides. The community, as described in Chapter 3: Community Building With and For Teachers @ The Math Forum, provides continuous learning experiences for the students and teachers a like. The sharing of information and the pure desire to constantly evolve with the participants motivates people to return and bring along friends to join in on the community.
How are the real community and the virtual community similar and different at the same time?
The real community and virtual community is similar in the fact that it is bringing together people who have a common/shared interest. And when they are together they exchange ideas, provide solutions and work together for the common purpose. The difference between the two communities is that one is physical (face-to-face) and the other is via the web. Sometimes people in virtual communities never see the other community members. I would have to say that this can be both a positive and negative as a lot of people communicate and respond to people just based on their non-verbal language. For me, this was one of the hardest aspects to overcome when I became a part of a virtual community. I was so use to picking up what people where trying to say by watching their body language instead of listening to the words coming out of their mouth. However, if the leaders of the virtual community state expectations for the way communication should be written and transferred, then the members will not have to worry about what is “really” being said as what is “really” being said is appropriately stated in the written text.
How do the emerging technologies, specifically the internet, “alter our sense of boundaries, participation, and identity” of a community (p. 14, Shummar & Renniger)?
The emerging technologies have created endless boundaries, greater participation and validation to increase a better sense of self. The creativity and innovation that is shared collectively within a virtual community enhances the systems thinking (thinking in wholes versus parts) within the group. The community provides a wide-angle lens for seeing what can be and answers those very questions with the diverse and passionate individuals that make up the virtual communities. There is no limit to the internet, which allows the community, individually and collectively, to see no limit to what they can create, revitalize, enhance and redesign.
From your own experience of a virtual community, do you think people learn and construct knowledge by participating in the community? If so, what are the implications of a virtual community for learning and change?
Yes, I do think that people learn and construct knowledge by participating in the community. The first thing that comes to mind is the learner’s preparation for participation in the community. It is also implies the learner is the person they say they are. I know skeptics of online learning and virtual communities have often said, “Well, how do you know it is the actual person participating?” I would also have to say that the learners in virtual communities have a shared passion and interest so the transfer of knowledge should be free-flowing. Lastly, I feel that virtual communities have experience in what they are participating in so the sharing of experience becomes an essential tool to enhance the learning within the community. Practical knowledge and experiences that are shared will also be useful to others in the community who will be able to apply the new knowledge almost immediately. And when people are able to make connections with the information with multiple contexts, the probability of the information being processed for future use is heightened. For change, I think it implies that change is constant and will inevitably happen in a virtual community. More specifically, I think it implies that the people who participate in virtual communities want desire and seek out change.
Independent Reflection
I was most connected to the Chapter 3 readings and The Gurus of YouTube article. Chapter 3 triggered my understanding of the human learning principle of information processing in a virtual world. I identified that the learning strategies are designed to provide connections for the student. This is an important aspect of cognitive learning. When the student learns to solve the problem using the connections he or she has made, the probability that the student will be able to solve a like or similar problem is greater. I have to wonder that if students do not have that face-to-face interaction, are they more willing to think on their own instead of trying to negotiate the answer from the instructor or other students in the classroom? I am also a big fan of the feedback that is given to both the students and the instructors in this Math Forum learning environment. This type of feedback will only reinforce the behaviors that are useful to students and instructors; as well as offer suggestions for improvement if necessary. I think sometimes people think that once you reach a certain level, whether that is academically or by title organizationally, you don’t need feedback. This community shares knowledge by working professionals in real situations so that others may benefit. Because of this structure, the individuals involves as well as the community itself will continue to evolve and grow.
The learning community also serves to enhance teacher understanding, which essentially serves as a tool for sharing best practices, with dialog. And, this is all being done “without judgment” to questions, responses and overall communication with one another. The feeling of security is one of those motivating factors that will continue to bring people back. You think about all of those times in a face-to-face classroom setting or even with your own co-workers when you wanted to ask a question but didn’t because of the fear of being labeled and being made fun of by the people around you.
Lastly, I noted the structure of the delivery seems more like a facilitation of knowledge that allows learning to take place both with the student and the instructor, creating a shared sense of responsibility; the responsibility being learning and sharing thoughts and ideas.
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