Seírbhísí TF UCDUCD IT Services

Reflecting on Models for Online Learning in Theory & Practice

Niall Watts

Educational Technology Officer

Background

• The workshop– “Maximising the Value of Online Learning”

• The tutor(s)– Educational Technologist– Guest ET and Lecturers

• The participants– Academics and Teaching Librarians– 8 per session

• The Technology– Discussions Forums– Virtual Classroom

Course Objectives

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

1. Participate in a Blackboard discussion forum

2. Participate in a Blackboard virtual classroom

3. Create and contribute to e-tivities

4. Evaluate the use of Salmon’s 5 Stages model

5. Enhance their teaching & learning practice using a discussion forum

6. Appreciate the role of an e-moderator and how to moderate a discussion forum

Day 1 - Classroom

• Introductions– The course– Each other– Tutor/moderator– Technology

• Task 1

Blackboard Discussion Boards

READ

COMMENT

WRITE

Communicate

Day 1 – Salmon’s 5 stages

• Introduction– Salmon’s first two stages

• Task 2– Discuss

Sucking Eggs - Teaching Teachers Technology

– ‘Epic Thinking – Innovation and Quality in e-learning’ (Sep 2008)

© Salmon, 2000

First Remote Online Task• Read, write and discuss online…

– The articles below were written 6 years ago. Choose one to read. To what extent do you think it applies to UCD students today? Write a post mentioning the differences and similarities. Comment on your colleagues postings

• Original post by 10 on Wednesday 4th February

• Comments until 10 on Wednesday 11th February

• Moderator will summarise online

– Vonderwell, S. (2003) ‘An examination of asynchronous communication experiences and perspectives of students in an online course: a case study’ - Science Direct (UCD Library) The Internet and Higher Education (6,1), P. 77-90

– Markland, M. (2003) ‘Embedding online information resources in Virtual Learning Environments: some implications for lecturers and librarians of the move towards delivering teaching in the online environment’ - Information Research (8,4) Online http://informationr.net/ir/8-4/paper158.html

Post from Remote Task

• 55 Posts & comments in forum – 1 Thread per participant

Day 2 – Salmon’s 5 stages

• Classroom activities

• Remote Discussion– Vonderwell & Markland

© Salmon, 2000

Classroom – Day 3

• Debrief online activities from day 2– Previously drop outs at this point

• Introduce BB Virtual Classroom– Plugin Install

• Task for remote VC– E-tivities Book Review

What are e-tivities?

• Structured, participative group work online– Active participation by students/learners– Interaction between contributors– Designed & led by an e-moderator– Motivating, engaging & purposeful– Usually asynchronous (i.e. over time)– Can be synchronous (e.g. Virtual Classroom)

• Developed by Gilly Salmon (2004)

E-Tivity Cycle

1. Illustrative title

2. Stimulus or challenge (the ‘spark’)

3. Participants post a response (the ‘invitation’)

4. Reply to the postings of others (the ‘action’ & ‘interaction’)

5. Post to a deadline

6. Summary, feedback or critique from e-moderator

VC - Salmon’s 5 Stages Model

• E-moderating– VC - Back to familiarisation & facilitation

• Technical support– VC - Back to Stage 1

• Compare technologies

© Salmon, 2000

VC Transcript – Day 4

• No threads

• Technology Frustration

Remote e-Tivity – Day 5

• E-Tivity and Spark– Discussion Board– Less direction – Independent learning

Choose an e-tivity in your own subject area and describe a ‘spark’ to begin a

discussion online. Post a brief description of your e-tivity and spark in the

Blackboard discussion forum. Create a thread with your name and e-tivity title. Comment on your colleagues postings

eTivity Sparks Review

• Darwin – controversial remark

• Info Literacy – hoax websites

• Library – unexpected cartoon

• Info Literacy – mnemonics & crosswords

• Plagiarism – Obama speeches

• Teaching strategy – video clips

• Socialisation

• 31 Posts & comments in forum – 1 Thread per participant

• E-moderating– Focus on moderator rather than students– Over-emphasis on social & emotional aspects – All levels of learning at upper steps

• Technical support– Ongoing need. New tools

• Structure– Suggests few reach top– Too much focus on start– Steps equal?

Critique Salmon’s 5 Stages Model

© Salmon, 2000

eLearning Ladder

Moule (2007) critique of 5 stages model

A conceptual model of online learning: the e-learning ladder © Moule (2007)

Social/Pedagogical

eModerator

Technical

• Range of learning activities

• Access and technical issues are ongoing

• Inequal group participation– Existing groups best– Collaboration?

• Facilitation– Moderators role

eLearning Ladder

Moule (2007) critique of 5 stages model

A conceptual model of online learning: the e-learning ladder © Moule (2007)

Social/Pedagogical

eModerator

Technical

Discussion Board

Virtual Classroom

Communities of Practice

• Communities of Practice– Time– Shared History– Shared Repertoire– Voluntary

eLearning Ladder Critique

A conceptual model of online learning: the e-learning ladder © Moule (2007)

Social/Pedagogical

eModerator

Technical

Discussion Board

Virtual Classroom

Communities of Practice

• Less focus on learner

• Technology constructivist

or instructivist

• Order of rungs

• Rungs equal?

Issues

• Many participants knew each other

• All had used Blackboard

• Speed and scope of activities

• Worked with target group

• Salmon’s model for distance ed not blended

• Salmon allows for broad education / experience

Future

• Technology – review or omit VC

• Participants set own tasks

• Participants become guest moderators