Session+3


 * Facilitator: Lorna Gagneux **

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**Question 1: ** =====

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**What two or three characteristics of effective online learning communities are most important to you, and why? ** =====

Responsiveness, relevance and empowerment are three characteristics most important to me. Responsiveness is extremely important to any learner. It can make the difference in how secure they feel in the community. That their questions, thoughts and communication are important to the group and that the instructor provides feedback that nurtures inquisitive thought or critical thinking. I have actually taken an online course where the instructor never interacted with the students. It was interesting to see the students band together and communicate with one another on this lack of guidance, and ultimately make their own decisions about their course of action. Relevance, for me personally, is so important. To relate the concepts we are learning to our real life experiences drives the need to learn and know more. To listen to the experiences of others, as they relate to common issues, and lessons learned brings fresh approaches to my work-related situations. Empowerment provides me with a strong sense that I can manage new tasks and projects with an enhanced knowledge from the course. - Lorna

Lorna, how did that work out for you in the long run (in terms of your learning) in the course where there wasn't much of an instructor presence but you received guidance from students? (DS)

I think positive communication, teaming, and engaging activities are the most important. Lorna, I thought the research article regarding online learning and swift trust was very interesting. They relayed two separate experiences - similar to what you discussed. The early communcitation, sustained communication (including responsiveness) and engaging activities provided by an engaged and motiviating instructor makes all of the difference. (JI)  What was sad was, the course was a geology course, and I am a big geology freak. So I was probably more prepared to take off on my own, read the book and get something out of the course. But I could have gone to Borders and probably bought a better book. The point of the course was the interaction, discussion and teaming that bring about learning and enlightenment. I would have gotten so much more enrichment and learning out of this course had there been good interaction with the instructor and teaming with other students. Really heartbreaking. (LG)

The three characteristics that I feel are significant in creating an effective online learning community are __Content__, __Teaming__, and __Engaging Activities__. First, the __content__ of the course needs to be relevant and current material. The material that is given needs to serve a purpose. I think it is important because if the content does not teach the learners anything, the course is not valuable. Second, I think that it is important to create __teams__ within a large online course. By having a smaller group it creates a supportive community that lets each member turn to each other for help or clarification. By the positive interaction amongst the team it can create motivation and increase self-esteem. When it comes to encouraging the students to participate in the course, __engaging activities__ are a must. The activities need to be authentic, as suggested in the reading. More interest from the learners comes when they can take the information and apply it into their own professional setting. Changing the methods of how learners are to participate creates interest, as well as giving opportunities to interact with each other. (Meghan) Do you think it's possible for an online-learning community to flourish without teams? Do you think ideas and experiences could be bounced off each other without the formation of teams? (Dan Schrot)

I think //high performance teaming, engaging activities// and //content// are very important for effective online learning. In order for a team to be successful, there must be some structure. According to the article, “Essential Element Teaming”, they define this as “structural process of participants working together to achieve learning objectives.” Without a team of participants who feel comfortable with each other and work towards a goal of learning, effective online learning would be a very difficult solo act. Being part of a team means having different responsibilities. All of these responsibilities are important as each member of the team is. There is a positive attitude and by participants helping each other with clarifying information, a higher order of thinking evolves. Engaging activities are a necessity because this will keep online learning interesting and thought provoking. Each member of the team will be able to express themselves in different ways through the various activities. An activity that might work for one member could be difficult for some others. The activities will help members explore possibilities and learn from each other. Isn’t that what online learning is ultimately all about, learning from your peers? Content is extremely important because without relevant content, how can the online learner learn the information? Including articles and practical real life issues helps the student relate to the course content. Content gives shaping questions around the course curriculum and will guide the students in their thoughts and knowledge. - Shannon Meghan and Shannon, I agree that the areas you have mentioned are very important. When I first began the course, I was extremely skeptical of the 'teaming' component. I thought that it would be very challenging to communicate effectively, to coordinate tasks, and to ultimately be a part of a team to learn. So far, I have been very pleasantly surprised. When I look at the ELC discussions with the whole group, I am overwhelmed. However, when I log onto this Wikki, I am much more comfortable. I look forward to seeing the names of Team BizzeBeez members. It helps me to know that I am in this with others. I think in order to build trust in our team, it was awesome that we intially had the opportunity to meet in person. Now, as I am reading posts, I can visualize who is speaking. (JI)

As a course designer, how might you ensure that you can create meaningful content for ALL learners? Related, consider the importance of how assignments can be differentiated, especially in larger groups. As you design your own online learning initiatives, consider how you might develop assignments that can be easily differentiated. (DS)

If students are in a course for different reasons, the instructor can poll the students on what they want to get from the course, then gear the content to the interest(s) the students have most in common. You can also provide a learning style inventory to see how the students learn best and gear lessons to the different styles of the students. (Dan Schrot)

One effective way to make content meaningful is to develop reusable learning objects that provide visual impact to core concepts that are difficult for all learners. They can be created with any tool from powerpoint to flash. These reusable resources allow the learner to interact with content as many times as they need. It provides practices and interaction that enhances the learning. (LG)

I believe receiving feedback is an important characteristic for an online learning community to be effective. Hearing input from others within group and sharing ideas is important in forming a community during an online learning experience. Using appropriate language is another important characteristic during online learning experiences. If people disagree about an idea, appropriate language should be used to maintain everyone’s confidence and participation. Disagreements should be conveyed politely. Finally, having students who share a common goal or interest together is important for the community to be effective. In order for students to work together as a team, they need to have similar agendas or goals. If the students in a group do not have the same goal or agenda, the work may not get completed, learning may not be accomplished, and some students may develop the feeling of losing an opportunity. -Dan

I believe that using technology for instruction, assignments, and assessment naturally provides for differentiation. When providing instruction that is supported with technology, an instructor is able to use visual, print, and auditory means. When asking students to complete assignments, an instructor is able to give options of technological resources to use as medium that may work with an individuals learning style (ie. a powerpoint, a video, an online poster). Finally, in an online learning community, an instructor is able to provide feedback in a differentiated manner through whole group feedback or prompts, group feedback, and finally individual feedback. (JI)

At what point do you think an instructor needs to intervene when there is a conflict amongst the team? (DS) I think personal conflicts can be managed by the members of the team. One scenario that could require instructor intervention is if the grades of a few teammates are being affected by the actions of other teammates. I may slightly disagree with Lorna. If there is a negative community/tone/vibe within a team, I think goals can be achieved and learning can be accomplished even if teammates are not getting along. The focus can be on the tasks at hand and not each other. (Dan Schrot)

The instructor must intervene before the feeling of a positive community is permanently affected. Because the conflict may be useful to the two who are engaging, but may be stressful to others. (LG)

What do you think happens in a community of learners where there is not a strong instructor presence?** What do you think happens in a community of learners where there is not a strong instructor presence? As I mentioned above, I have actually experienced an online course where there was not a strong instructor presence. The students were confused. They had questions about the course that were not being answered. Next they became fearful because they were worried about receiving poor grades by not understanding what they were supported to do. Finally they began to email one another. Some quit communicating at all. Several emailed me thinking I was an instructor (my .edu email address) looking for insight as to what to do in the course. Several of the students finally contacted the department Chair about the instructor. The instructor uploaded a basic instruction sheet for the students to follow. Collaboration was never a part of the course. Without strong instructor presence the entire sense of community is lost. Each student becomes an island. The instructor, even in a learner-centered environment, is the glue that holds the community together. - Lorna
 * Question 2:[[image:strongInstructor.jpg width="247" height="156" align="right"]]

I believe that without a strong instructor present, the expectations for the students and the course are lowered. I don’t think the learners would participate as much especially if they are not receiving feedback. The students may feel that the course is not beneficial if there is no direction. There would not be a sense of community without a strong facilitator. (Meghan)

Without a strong instructor presence, how will students know what content to access? There will be confusion in defining what the course is about and the student’s ultimate goal is. Not being face to face with your class and instructor is hard because you miss that connection and communication. Constant e-mailing and updates is necessary to show your students you are connecting with them 24/7 and you are there for them if a problem or question arises. Since this is my first semester of all online classes, having the instructor constantly giving us updates and e-mailing me right away if I am not doing something correctly has really helped me and given me motivation. - Shannon I think a community can function without a strong presence of an instructor. It’s possible an instructor can provide a topic for a team to work on, and the team can take off from that point. Instructors could provide pieces of advice, but most of the work can be completed from the individuals within a community. This can only happen if the individuals are motivated, self-starters, good communicators and work well together. -Dan

While I agree with Dan that given topics, adults are able to guide and manage their own learning, I feel a strong instructor presence is necessary. We learn through modeling. The manner in which this courses ELC has been created reflects the guiding principles as outlined in the JHU CTE power point. I was able to read the recommendations and statements of best practice, but then see it in action with this course's coursebook. Through instructor modeling, I will be able to more concretely interpret how to create an online learning community. While I will be able to add my own relevant experiences to the presentation and content, I now know, from modeling, what is best practice and what I should aim to do. Without a strong instructor presence, I feel that I may not take as seriously the information presented. Without a model for positive communication, updates, discussion strands, and relevant activities, I may not have known to capture these in my own community. (JI)

Joanna, you brought up great points about modeling, taking the course seriously and understanding how to operate your own community. I feel that I am taking this course more seriously compared to other JHU courses I've taken. I think an instructor should get a feel for how intuitive, skilled and experienced the participants are in his/her course based on the first assignments completed. From that point, the instructor can determine how much support and modeling is needed. Some groups may need more support than others. (Dan Schrot)

I have to agree that by having a strong instructor presence, I am trying to be more responsible and be an active member for the discussions and assignments. I also think it is very important that the instructor shows that they are present by giving feedback and asking details pertaining to our responses, which has definitely been observed in this course! I also have to agree with Dan about how the first couple assignments definitely need to be checked to make sure the teams are on track. Instant feedback is a must! (Meghan) ​

Interesting perspectives on "instructor presence." Looking forward to further discussion. As you take your discussion to the next level, consider your own style of instruction and the role you will take in leading and facilitating your online learning initiative. (DS)

Currently, I work in a very unilateral fashion. I fit things into my schedule to meet my needs or established deadlines. In the classroom (as the nature of my students needs and disabilities often requires) I provide direct instruction and modeling. One to one, I provide feedback and shape responses. I do not, however encourage learning outside of the direct activity in response to written work, homework or assessments. I think that I will need a significant amount of help in order to learn and apply time and organizational strategies to provide feedback and encourage discussion.

What do you think are the most significant challenges when teaching in an online environment, and what kinds of tools or strategies might you use to overcome them?** What do you think are the most significant challenges when teaching in an online environment, and what kinds of tools or strategies might you use to overcome them? Time is a significant challenge. I think the balance between community collaboration and engaging activities is difficult. Trying to get students to engage in the collaborative process online can be a challenge and requires lots of mentoring initially. This takes a lot of time on the instructor’s part. Once you have their attention and they are communicating it is important that they have engaging learning activities that bring relevance and exploration into the process. Again, this requires a lot of time on the online instructor’s part to research new tools, and activities that will support the core concepts and bring relevance to the subject.- Lorna  I think it is difficult to find content that can be explored together during an online course and authentic for all learners. Also, trying to find ways to integrate all students’ experiences into the class would be hard. I would find it hard to find a variety of activities that are engaging and not the same activity over and over again. I think that creating questions that let the students use their background experiences can be helpful to gain interest of the learners. Presenting new and useful material and readings motivates students to participate. Also, incorporating different technologies by creating new and current ways for learners to respond to activities encourages students to be part of the learning environment. (Meghan)
 * Question 3: [[image:communityMap.jpg width="271" height="251" align="right"]]

I think some of the most significant challenges is laying out the course content and related articles in a clear and simple way so that students can access them quickly and without confusion. Getting your point across through each lesson is also hard especially if students are not responding and participating in each chat. I would thin its hard to keep track of students as well just through discussion forum posts. You must dedicate a lot of time to go through everyone’s answers and get to know them through text. I think using various amounts of tools, like web 2.0 tools, are a great way to get various students attention and this way students can express themselves through tools they feel comfortable with. - Shannon

One significant challenge is to have access to the technology necessary to operate the online environment. If students do not have the appropriate operating systems or Internet access, they will not be able to function in an online environment. Recently, some students in this course lost power due to Snowmageddon. Those students were unable to finish their assignments nor were they able to get to a library to use a public computer. If students do not have a computer or Internet access at home and want to participate in an online environment, using a public computer at a library may be the only effective strategy to address this issue.

Another challenge involves working together as a team in an online environment. Communication is important when working within a team. Each teammate should have a role. The workload should be equally distributed. Trusting that every teammate finishes their assigned tasks and does a quality job is important and could be a problem. Finally each member should feel encouraged and motivated to be part of the team and to complete their work. They should also feel that their work is meaningful. Teammates should get to know each other socially and also share their strengths and weaknesses as students. Students who are weak at writing may be more useful when completing tasks such as performing research and gathering resources. The team should take steps to build trust in order to develop the feeling of accountability among the members. After getting to know the members of the team, roles should be assigned based on the social experiences which were held. Members of a team can sense who the leader should be and who would excel at supporting roles. Once the roles are determined, assignments can be given to each member. The roles and assignments could be posted somewhere in the online environment as a reminder or resource for the team to access. -Dan Dan, I agree that access to technology and teaming are challenging. However, as an instructor, I would have the hardest time with time management. I think setting up activities would be fairly challenging. When creating materials, I will often get lost in the activity and extend the time alotted. I feel that with technology - and all of the options out there, I would really struggle with this. It is hard for me to conceptualize spending a set amount of time per student/team/discussion to provide feedback. It is hard for me to imagine getting to all of the students to provide adequate feedback. I think that using a rubric or a 'timing' agent would be helpful. (JI) Anyone, any ideas or feedback on how to manage time as an instructor for an online community? Joanna, I think a schedule is key. If you know you're online course starts on a given day, then plan to spend the week or so before that date to set up assignments and other tasks. Once the course starts, give yourself a certain amount of time each day to devote to the course. It could be a half-hour, less or more depending on how fast you work. You may not get to everyone on the same day. Depending on the size of the class, I don't think you have to get to everyone in one day. But knowing you will devote some time each day to the course, you will likely get everything done. Of course with everything else going on in a person's life, this is easier said than done. (Dan Schrot)

Dan, thank you for the feedback. This seems very time consuming:) I do, however, see the value in this. I think that I would have to set a specific time for all of the different levels of the Content Expert. For example, x number of hours per week to create or gather learning materials, x number of hours to structure the course objectives and schedule, x number of hours to write prompts, x number of hours to respond and provide feedback, and finally x number of hours to summarize and grade. Naturally, I am doing this already in the classroom. I think that the difference lies in the fact that without an online community, I can do much of the work on my own, at my pace, when and how it is convenient for me. However, with an online community I know that I can encourage a greater sense of learning, participation, interaction, and motivation among students. (JI) Dan, I'm going to steal "Snowmagaddeon" I love it! (DS)

Unfortunately, I stole it from NBC, The Washington Post, and Obama. I also like Snowtorious B.I.G, everyone may not get the reference. (Dan Schrot)


 * It definitely explains the blizzard. Hopefully, we won't see anything like it again anytime soon!*** (Meghan)

Great discussion so far! Some additional ideas/ thoughts to consider....


 * What do you think might happen when there is a “weak link” on a team, and what role would you envision the instructor playing in helping to address the issue?

I think personal differences/problems can be handled within the team. If "weak link" is not doing their share of the assignment, then the instructor can consult with the "weak link" and try to get them back in gear and possibly make accomodations for the team depending on the circumstances. The instructor could also trade the "weak link" to another team in exchange for another person. A different team might be what the "weak link" needs. The last resort for the instructor should be to give the "weak link" a poor grade. (Dan Schrot)

If there is a "weak link" on the team, the timing for assignment completion will be significantly compromised. Either someone will have to pick of the slack, the overall quality of team work would struggle, or the team members would be stressed. I think that the job assignment is one way to address this. As a Motivator, maybe that job could include encouraging particular individuals to take a greater role in discussions. Similarly, it would be advantageous for the instructor of the course to provide feedback to individuals if the quality of responses or participation is less than expected. As adults we need to be self-starters and intiators that are invested. With a brief statement from the instructor, ie. "you might want to contribute more or bring your thoughts to a different level", I think that a "weak link" would improved their contributions or realize that online learning does not match their learning style.

I think having a weak link definitely impacts the discussion and flow of the team. Without their input, you really don't get a sense of their personality or knowledge on the given topic. I think setting clear guidelines of when to respond should be given. Hopefully, with a timeline, that "weak" link will feel obligated to respond. Also, I think by asking direct questions to that specific person makes that person feel like they need to respond. I also have to agree that if that person is a weak link, I conclude that person is not organized, irresponsible and/or has a good sense of time management. (Meghan)
 * As you continue to develop your own initiative and then hopefully implement and facilitate it, imagine yourself as the instructor. How important is it to remain flexible, and how will you reconcile remaining flexible while also meeting your objectives?

Finally, you’ve probably figured out by now that for the e-learning initiative you design, you’re going to take on multiple roles: Technical Developer, Instructional Designer, Content Expert (From Online Course Development Roles and Tips reading). What role do you think will be the most challenging for yourself, and how might you overcome that challenge and/or get support? Looking forward to following your dialogue. (DS)

I think that the most challenging part will be content expert. I feel like I have so many ideas its going to be hard to try and filter them all to make the initiative the best for the students. I think getting started in general is going to be hard as well. It is going to take a lot of different strategies to figure out which way will be the best for me.. I am going to look towards all the readings because they really have helped me get more aquatinted with the terminology and process. I will also look to my teammates because I feel like we all really respond well to each other and communicate freely and often! - Shannon

I agree with Shannon, that content expert area is going to be challenging. I also think that providing a learning resources that will work for many different learning styles is challenging. Because even though adults are more motivated, there are large gaps in technical understanding, computer basics, and overall exposure to this type of learning. The e-learning initiative must compensate for this disparity in some manner. (LG)

I agree that the content expert role would be the most challenging. Providing frequent, constructive and well-timed feedback seems like the greatest challenge. I also feel that posing critical thinking questions would be challenging. Phrasing questions so that they directly reflect the content and the curriculum while encouraging individual responses seems very challenging. Unfortunately, I feel much more comfort with concrete questions and answers. In this manner, I know how to assess and guide. How do you "reign in" or control the content questions? Any best practice guidelines?(JI)

I