Making group-work ‘work’ online:
the ‘virtual agency’ case.
Brett Van HeekerenSchool of Communication
Charles Sturt University
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The BackgroundADV205 Ad Creative...it’s all about ideas!
The Subject Story
Advertising ideas
Practice-based
Authentic environments
Team interaction
Team member interaction
The Essential ToolsCreating environments for delivery and interaction
Instructor to student asynchronous communication
Instructor and student media archive and storage
Student ‘publication’ space: the Virtual Gallery
Podcast delivery of core content and workshop stimuli
Visual support for content and workshops
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The Stages of LearningScaffolding and supporting the learning
Stage 1: Delivering the content
Podcast & audio files
Lectures: topic by topic content delivery
Workshops: ‘kick start’ group activities
Slides Readings
Prompting interaction in
more ‘authentic’
environments – the ‘VA’
(Project Worksite)
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The Stages of LearningScaffolding and supporting the learning
Stage 2: Setting up the VA: introducing & navigating the authentic environments
Asynchronous group communication(formal)
Synchronous group communication(informal)
Media and file storage
Replicates the
hands-on group
interactivity of the
internal subject.
(Think & Do)
Ginger Bunnies Virtual Boardroom
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The Stages of LearningScaffolding and supporting the learning
Stage 3: ‘Putting it out there’: developing accountability among the cohort.
Using the subject wiki as a virtual gallery for general publication and comment.
Ginger Bunnies Virtual Boardroom
VA 1
VA 2
VA 3
VA 4
VA 5
ADV205 virtual gallery
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The Stages of LearningPushing for higher order learning
Stage 4: ‘Raising the stakes’: professional outcomes in intimate teams
Using the current learning to support a higher order challenge – portfolio construction
Creative Teams (CT) of two establishedProject worksite allocationSite mirrors their virtual agency (VA) environmentsTeams work independently on authentic ‘briefs’Design & construct professional creative portfolio
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The Stages of LearningPushing for higher order learning
Stage 4: ‘Raising the stakes’: professional outcomes in intimate teams
Using the current learning to support a higher order challenge – portfolio construction
The critical ‘construction zone’
Ginger Bunnies Portfolio
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The EvaluationWhat made the group-work work?
VA
En
viro
nm
ent
Basic professional & domain knowledge
Intro environment navigation V
G E
nvi
ron
men
t Accountable publication.
Views of ‘others’.
Content Feedback
CT
Envi
ron
men
t Higher level professional skills.
Independent online interaction
Transfer of learning Transfer of learning
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The EvaluationWhat made the group-work work?
THE AUTHENTIC ENVIRONMENT ARGUEMENT
Authentic Assessment Tasks
Professional Socialisation (professional + social rhetoric)
Sense of ‘place’ & ‘identity’
Engagement of the human dimensions of...
‘Think’
‘Do ‘
‘Feel’ (the practice)
Intrinsic interest ... ‘fun’
Making group-work ‘work’ online: the ‘virtual agency’ case.
The EvaluationWhat made the group-work work?
Making group-work ‘work’ online:
the ‘virtual agency’ case.
Brett Van HeekerenSchool of Communication
Charles Sturt University
The Q&A
