Group items tagged

Student Reflections @wattspoi on "Heutagogy & its Implications for Evaluative Feedback" http://t.co/xiuWsCsD #lrnchat #edchat

This study examined the impact of Web-Based Learning Tools (WBLTs), also known as learning objects, in middle school mathematics and science classrooms. Survey, qualitative, and student performance data were collected from a sample of 18 teachers and 443 students. Teachers were very positive about the learning benefits, design of WBLTs, and increased engagement of their students. Students were moderately positive about these same features. Student learning performance with respect to remembering, understanding, applying and evaluating concepts increased significantly when WBLTs were used. Qualitative data suggested that a number of students enjoyed the visual supports, ease of use, and interactivity of WBLTs as well using technology to learn. Some students noted that the WBLTs used in class were not challenging enough and that the help features and the design of certain WBLTs were deficient. Overall, it is reasonable to conclude that WBLTs, if selected carefully, can be a positive and effective learning tool in a middle school environment. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Students share perspectives Online forums, provide public areas to post information. Each student can view another student's answers and learn through the exposure to different perspectives. This benefits students because they can combine new opinions with their own, and develop a solid foundation for learning. Research supports that "as learners become aware of the variations in interpretation and construction of meaning among a range of people [they] construct an individual meaning, " (Alexander, 1997). Students experience a sense of equality-Another benefit to using web-based communication tools is to give all students a reinforced sense of equality. Each individual has the same opportunity to "speak up" by posting messages without typical distractions such as seating arrangements, volume of student voices, and gender biases. Shy and anxious students feel more comfortable expressing ideas and backing up facts when posting online instead of speaking in a lecture room. Studies prove that online discussions provoke more confrontational and direct communication between students.

I think this is helpful in assessing the quality of critical thinking.

This paper reports on research from 913 professors from community colleges, four-year colleges, and university centers in an attempt to determine potential barriers to the continued growth in adoption of online teaching in higher education. Four variables are significantly associated with faculty satisfaction and adoption or continuation of online teaching - levels of interaction in their online course, technical support, a positive learning experience in developing and teaching the course, and the discipline area in which they taught. Recommendations for institutional policy, faculty development, and further research are included.

Building more respect for online learning

University and college faculty, K-12 teachers, corporate and military trainers, educational administrators, curriculum designers, technical support staff, and others who want to learn how to convert teaching or training materials currently delivered face-to-face into a completely online course or program. Educators and trainers who already design, implement, or teach online courses who seek to update their skills and knowledge of evolving best practices in online learning.

"This study provides evidence on how young children can start to direct their learning plans and take responsibility in responding to their problems through active participation in planning and assessment, and it therefore contributes to our understanding of how ECE classrooms can operate as Communities of Learning. In any Communities of Learning, there is always a dual focus: To empower children as learners, using the concept of learning as change in participation, but also to keep a close and critical eye on what the nature of the change is and its relationship with valuable learning. Edwards (2005) calls it "learning as a resourceful action" and argues that it "allows us to examine the processes of learning as well as the outcomes and to consider how they are pedagogically supported" (p. 58). Her argument for research that highlights the cognitive potential of sociocultural approaches to learning can contribute to the research about Learning Cultures in kindergarten (Hodkinson et al. 2008).

Plan to Achieve Self-Support

QUOTE: What is reflective learning? As early as 1933 Dewey defined reflective thought as "active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and further conclusions to which it tends" (Dewey, 1933 in Andrusyszyn & Davie, 1997, p.105). He believed that associating ideas was integral to thinking and that one had to search for deeper meanings through reflective thinking to capture and understand the core essence of something, to transform doubt into understanding and understanding into further action (Andrusyszyn & Davie, 1997).

Describes anchored discussion. Compares regular discussion with anchored discussion.

Anchored discussion is a form of collaborative literature processing. It "starts from the notion of collaborative discussion that is contextualized or anchored within a specific content" (van der Pol, Admiraal & Simons, 2006). In this course, the discussions we participate in are based on prompts that address ideas included in each of the required resources for each module. However, an anchored discussion is a discussion that is focused on one piece of literature. As students read and digest the material, discussions about the meaning of that material occur within a window where the material is present. It is like having an asynchronous chat window open next to a research article. (van der Pol et al., 2006) As I started learning about anchored discussions, I saw many connections to shared annotation such as what we use Diigo for. Van der Pol et al. (2006) state that "shared annotation might leave more room for individual processes, but is shown to have some limitations in supporting interactivity". Anchored discussions take shared annotation a step further in that it requires conversation (as opposed to individual notes) regarding a resource. The collaborative piece of anchored discussions really got my attention in that it provides greater opportunity for the development of teaching presence by both students and the instructor. The opportunity to facilitate a discussion within the context of a required reading is an exciting idea for me. The use of anchored discussion allows for all three facets of teaching presence: instructional design and organization, facilitating discourse, and direct instruction (Shea, Pickett, & Pelz, 2003). I am wondering if there is a way to use Diigo in creating anchored discussions.

"Instructional strategies and methods are used to Manage time in flexible ways to match learner needs. Include learning activities that are personally relevant to learners. Give learners increasing responsibility for the learning process. Provide questions and tasks that stimulate learners' thinking beyond rote memorization. Help learners refine their understanding by using critical thinking skills. Support learners in developing and using effective learning strategies for each task. Include peer learning and peer teaching as part of the instructional method. "

Incorporating Second Life and Moodle

Addresses various uses of scaffolding in online instruction.

This article provides examples of online instructional scaffolding.

Read the research about universal design for learning (UDL). The evidence supports UDL principles for learning.

NOOKStudy Accessibility FAQ

The four architectures of instruction for blended classrooms.