It is important to create an online community to shift the course from a teacher centered course to a student centered course. We want to facilitate our courses and guide content, but let the students dig deep to provide a rich and diverse experience that has meaning to the participants.
So what have I learned? I have learned who I am as a learner, and what I appreciate in a professor. I have learned that I need to let my voice and personality be known to my students because that is how we will connect and become emotionally connected to our course. I reflect on Professor Pickett’s introduction by her daughter. I immediately connected and realized that there was a human being behind the words, and she was relatable. This course is challenging and pushes my abilities, but the interaction with students and the professor helps me know that I am not a lone, and gives me space to evaluate my goals and reflect on what my presence is in our class and in developing the course.
Hey Heather
Thanks for reminding me of this tool. It looks very cool! Lucky you to go on vacation, must have been tricky. I have been in the same predicament, being enrolled in a course and being on vaca. Definitely a challenge, you just have to be very, very disciplined. But all of us have that in common.
Hedy
When I read the post prompt of “Where are you?” I know that Professor meant in the course, but I immediately had a flash of Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot. “The significance of our lives and our fragile planet is then determined only by our own wisdom and courage (Sagan,2011) .”
so, you may think this course is about online teaching, but it is really about changing the world. : ) I need you to help me. Together we can do more than alone. "where are you?" is a multilayered question.
What I have realized in this course, is that teaching presence and social presence and cognitive presence come together to create meaningful learning environments for students and teachers. We want to facilitate this in our classrooms but also in our schools, buildings and districts. We want to create shared spaces where teachers are working together connecting, asking questions, working together to find solutions. When we look at the Seven Principles of Effective teaching, all of these principles are centered around communication and interaction. It is about forming relationships and understanding each other. It is about connecting, creating and understanding.
This course held a mirror up to the learner in me. Inside I want to connect with others. The social element in learning is vital. I want to connect, I want to be validated and I want to feel safe in my learning spaces. I want to learn from someone who is passionate about their subject and teaching. I want to be inspired and I want to feel like I am making a contribution. All of these elements have been present in our discussion forum. We have exchanged ideas, thoughts and we have been able to thoughtfully disagree.
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Joy! thank you for making your learning visible to me! I am awed and inspired by the depth of your insights!
So establishing teaching presence is what all the designers, Alex, and even I, am doing when we make decisions about the content of the course, the types of activities we want to include, the tools we would like to use, how we want to assess, how we provide channels for providing and managing feedback, how we want to induct students into the course, how we want to wrap up the course….Basically – everything!
From planning, to execution, to assessment, to revision. So this is why developing a course is an “iterative process”.
And nothing happens by chance. Everything happens by deliberate design. And I am seeing how this is happening.
People are important, so… (make decisions, plan activities, evaluate, discard, adapt, iterate, etc.)
Thinking is important, so ….(make decisions, plan activities, evaluate, discard, adapt, iterate, etc.)
Learning is important, so…..
Content knowledge is important, so…
Skills are important, so…
From this, I have learnt that it is perfectly fine to change your mind, as long as you have solid justification. This was also a useful reminder abot the importance of accurately matching the number of objectives with activities. A designer needs to avoid creating an objective that has no activity, and an activity with no objective, as can sometimes happen through oversight.
“You need to rethink lots of things, to be open to possibilities, opportunities to options, then you’re more likely to be successful,” says Alex.
This kind of openness does not happen as a matter of course. It has to begin with an awareness. This attitude of being open to possibilities, opportunities and options has to be actively worked upon.
I failed to understand this at first. So I found it perplexing that Alex would pursue what I thought was a trivial line of discussion. What do you think is not possible to teach and learn online? I volunteered several bright contributions. I was still unaware of the purpose of this apparently innocuous discussion.
Of course now I know better. That discussion was supposed to challenge a closed mind. Because with a closed mind, we render ourselves unable to be open to possibilities, opportunities to options. A closed mind works against innovation, progress, improvement, expansion. This is a new frontier, and therefore the stance which can reap untold benefits and leanings should be “Let’s explore!”
So the question we should be asking isn’t “What cannot be done?” but rather “How do I make this possible?”
thank you for this observation, joy! thank you for taking the bait and giving us all the opportunity to question our assumptions and to arrive at creativity, innovation and possibilities!! : )
I need to be open to possibilities, opportunities, to options. I must put aside my prejudices and temporarily suspend “logical thinking” in favor of creative thinking.
But we should never give up on the unwilling ones.
The best way to spark change is to let them attend an effective online course.
I am beginning to see how “developing a course is a transformative experience”.
I don’t think I can return to the classroom and teach anything the same way before.
Designing an online course has been, for me, a truly transformative experience. It has allowed me not only to reexamine, reformulate and reassess, but to also move forward to innovate and in some ways, to reinvent myself as a teacher.
I was therefore quite relieved Alex confirmed what I had feared. I was packing in too much. Even before even before Alex provided her completely justified feedback that my course was too packed (“for you Joy, less is more!”)
An online environment is different from a f2f setting. Being able to state it in a theoretical way is not the same as understanding it and translating it into practice. Of course I knew the theory. But when the time came for application in the design of the online course, my knowledge did not transfer well into practical application. This is one of the main problems when there is a failure of the student to successfully transfer learning, which is basically one of great challenges of teaching. So basically, what I did initially did was to replicate my f2f activities directly into my online classroom.
As I feared, and Alex confirmed, this large amount of group work puts a strain on the students and also poses too many logistic difficulties. Perhaps one or two group work activities might work, but not several in each module. It is unrealistic. So I have learnt, in a very concrete and hands-on way, that designing for my online classroom in this instance is different from designing for my face-to face classroom.
Once again, I am reminded that theory and practice need mutual reinforcement. Understanding the theory is one thing. Transferring the theoretical knowledge into action requires experience, reflection, and feedback from others.
thank you for making your thinking and learning visible to me!
Having experienced a wonderful sense of community, and seeing how it is done, I do feel that I have a fair idea of the basic ingredients that go into creating a sense of community. However, Alex has set a high, high standard, and I don’t know I have the energy to sustain the community building effort, even if I knew how to do it!
Yes!!! the value to me and to the others in the class is to be able to watch your process. we see how you think and refine and how your ideas change and evolve and that adds to our understanding of you and our own learning.
My present ideas never look like version 1! The result is that the ideas I
handed up in the proposed learning activities resemble very little of what I
actually have now
Oh Joy, I can relate! By the time Alex reads my submitted writing assignment, my actual course design has already morphed a few times. I've visited your course, it looks great! the activities you set up indicatethat you have high expectations for the participants!
wow, Confucious said that? I didn't even know, and I'm Chinese!
In short – let the students do the work. This is the best way to learn. This principle, I think, has been demonstrated in this course. And I intend to pursue it in my own course. I see the value of giving the students both structure and space.
One of the insights has to do with letting go as a teacher.
Nontraditional, commuter, reentry are terms assigned to my target student population, which I refer to as adult learners. Adult learners are difficult to categorize, as the determinants are often arbitrary. Their demographic variables cut across a wide swath of the population. Ross Gordon (2011) refers to a set of shared characteristics which include: delayed entry or reentry to college, employment, and family and community responsibilities. They are also primarily part-time students. The group is typically described to be between the ages of 25-64.
Reference
Ross-Gordon, J. (2011). Research on adult learners: supporting the needs of a student population that longer nontraditional. Association of American Colleges and Universities. (Previously bookmarked in Diigo)
I am assuming that adult online learners meet the six assumptions of Knowles' Andragogy learning theory. Traditional college students are often still formulating self-concepts and are involved in much more socialization on campus. Adult students are usually not seeking the social component and are driven by the immediate application of acquired skills and knowledge to life outside of the classroom.
The University of Central Florida (UCF) drilled down into the age demographics of their adult student population and extrapolated generational data. Hartmann et al. (2005) reported results of a survey of nearly 1,500 online learners at UCF that shed light on generational differences in attitudes and expectations among students born during 1946- 1964 (the cohort authors nicknamed 'Baby Boomers'), students born during 1965-1980('Generation X') and others born during 1981-1994 (the so-called 'NetGen' students). The results noted that there were substantial differences between the cohorts as far as learning engagement, interaction value, and whether they changed their approach to learning as a result of their online experience.
Hartmann, J., Patsy, M. & Chuck, D. (2005). Preparing the academy of today for the learner of tomorrow. In D. G. Oblinger & J. L. Oblinger (Eds.), Educating the Net Generation, pp. 6.1-6.15. Washington, DC: EDUCAUSE. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/educating-net-generation/preparing-academy-today-learner-tomorrow (Bookmarked in Diigo)
This perspective/distinction is very interesting/curious to me. I don't distinguish. I guess you mean traditional age college students vs. older "adult" students. In my mind they are all adults and they are all online students. Just an observation of my own perspective. : )
The literature I have reviewed indicates that younger age college students may not like the lack of social interaction and find the online classroom's demands of extensive writing too laborious. I have also found a distance difference between the two groups in my own experience. Of course this is a broad generalization and there are exceptions.
If undergrads enroll in online courses and do not actively participate, this will impact the development of critical thinking skills and meaningful learning outcomes for all students
I think the maturity of the student matters greatly as far as motivation and level of participation. This would impact lower level undergrad courses much more. However, your experience proves that andragogy is not always defined by age.
Jun 12th, 2014
Aug17
Satisfied. I am thrilled that I persevered and was able to complete the course. My Moodle course is far from stellar but I am pretty happy with the results of my maiden voyage.
I know that I have learned that social presence and teaching presences are as important as cognitive presence. More to the point, I learned that as an online student my reluctance to focus on the social aspects of the online classroom may have inhibited community building.
Hi Alicia! Nice blog! don't forget to self assess each post!
Morrison, D. (2014, February 28). Best methods and tools for online educators to give students helpful and meaningful feedback. Online Learning Insights. Retrieved from http://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/best-methods-and-tools-for-online-educators-to-give-students-helpful-and-meaningful-feedback/
However, having a sense of purpose that motivates you and a lifestyle that supports your ability to focus on your academic goals are the basic building blocks of success in college and beyond.
This is essentially a course that I could see being a sequel to my course! It talks about what you need to be successful in college; so once you get there, what do you need to know?
This article is spectacular and it won't let me highlight within it because it is a pdf. But it gives many self-assessment surveys so students can learn where they stand in their college readiness.
This article is spectacular and it won't let me highlight within it because it is a pdf. But it gives many self-assessment surveys so students can learn where they stand in their college readiness.
This is something that students don't often understand coming into college and causes a lot of stress during the first semester. Students need to be aware of what is expected of them in college and anticipate the heavy reading and writing curriculum that college provides. This could help prevent a lot of failed assignments and help students keep up their confidence for learning.
This is another concern many students have while researching colleges. Introducing activities/readings like this could help to alleviate some of those worries.
There really isn't anything in this course that I don't like. I think it is all incredibly useful, and some of it can be incorporated pre-emptively so that college applicants are prepared and knowledgeable about the college experience.
I will use this page in the last module of my course, as a way to help students transition to being a student. I will probably use it as an extra credit assignment.
Student Created Rubrics: Ask students to contribute to the creation of a rubric that defines success. A reading response task, a multi-modal presentation, or a group discussion leads to higher levels of learning when students are included in defining success.
Nameless Voice: Ask students to anonymously submit sample work to share with the class. Sample paragraphs on the overhead, a visual vocabulary card, or a ticket out the door quick write can all be samples of student work that the class or individual students can use. Ask students to write or discuss how the nameless voice is similar or different to their understanding
Social presence is the ability to project oneself
socially and affectively in a virtual environment. You achieve social
presence by being a real -- three-dimensional -- person to your students.
Another way of saying this is that you let yourself be known as a person
with a life in addition to your role as a teacher/mentor.
teaching
presence is the work of teaching both before and during the course. It
includes the designing and developing the course and in directing and
supporting the learners during the course delivery. Teaching presence
is manifested in the course materials -- in the syllabus, assignments,
choice of readings and discussions. Teaching presence is also manifested
in everything the faculty member does to guide, support and shape the
learners' experiences. Effective teaching presence sets clear expectations
and supportive guidance.
Cognitive
Presence is the extent to which a group of learners are able to 'construct
meaning through sustained communication.' (Garrison, 2006)
Faculty sets high expectations for student inquiry and expectations
Faculty examine student responses and probes, challenges, questions
encouraging thought and analysis of ideas and content
Learners participate thoughtfully in the discussions, responding to
content and thoughts and questions from other learners so that a sustained
communication occurs.
Faculty and students strive to ensure that project outcomes are long-lasting
and meaningful.
Cognitive presence requires a focus on meaning and not on covering conte
Of all the best practices for online teaching, the most important practice is "being there." Being there is the core of presence, letting your students know that you are there to direct, to guide, to listen and to share your expertise with your learners. This tip takes you on a guide through a Garden of Three Presences for Online Teaching and Learning - Social Presence, Teaching Presence and Cognitive Presence (Garrison, 2006b). This tip defines the three types of presence and then lists tools and behaviors - for both faculty and students -that support these three types of presence.
One of our colleagues in this program, Rebecca Grodner, is an English teacher at this school. I was fascinated when she mentioned that the school's philosophy was to reframe failure as iteration. I have made that my personal instructional mantra. She developed the Design Inquiry Cycle and shared this tool for inquiry-based learning in the UAlbany Knilt Wiki. This is the link, http://tccl.rit.albany.edu/knilt/index.php/Lesson_3:_The_Design_Inquiry_Cycle. I plan on using and adaptation of this model in my course's writing module.
This article discusses the benefits of peer review in writing instruction, outlines common variants of student resistance to the peer review process, and suggests strategies to make peer review more successful as a learning activity.
measurable criteria that can be counted or
marked as present or not present in the work that is being evaluated.
This allows the
rubric to be used as an ongoing dialog between the teacher and student and
allows the student to know when each criterion has been met and then make
improvements as needed. (Lockett, 2001)
Although
allowing student involvement in creating rubrics is time consuming, by
allowing students a voice in creating their own rubric, the students have
more ownership over their own learning and evaluation.
will be easier for the
students to understand due to the fact that the students are the ones
supplying the language for the criteria
when there is a wide range of
variation between quality work and work that is not yet proficient.
writing assignments, use of
scientific inquiry, problem solving, performance based learning, and
presentations
that teachers scoring the same set of papers
using the same rubric have a correlation value beyond 0.80
Students
should be given rubrics at the beginning of an assignment because rubrics
not only are valuable to teachers because they help in more consistent
grading, but are helpful to students as well.
Holistic rubrics are quicker to use than analytical rubrics because
holistic rubrics don’t break down the task.
better diagnostic information and provide students more feedback about how
to make his or her work better
Analytical
rubrics, on the other hand, break down the final project into parts
empowered to take
more responsibility for their own learning.
This article from Dartmouth College is a good introduction to the basic steps of the writing process, and jumps off to several links which get into the steps in more detail. The authors stress that each student's process is going to be a little different; writing a paper is not like following a recipe with precise steps.
It is of course important to organize one's ideas before formal writing, but I now believe that all students should have the choice of whether to do so in outline or in some graphic form.