Facilitators
are able to use different methods to assess student participation within a
collaborative learning community. Educators that utilize a learning management
system can assess their students on (a) how many times their students logon,
(b) how many hours their students spend online, (c) how many times their
students spend on the group – related activities, and (d) how many posts their
students contribute within a learning discussion or activity (Laureate
Education, 2008). George Siemens (Laureate Education, 2008) says assessment is
to be fair, equitable, direct, and relating to student outcomes. One of the
best ways to support student participation within a collaborative learning
community is to have the facilitator change their assessment model. An example
is to have learners’ role – play participating within their high – functioning learning
community (Laureate Education, 2008). Designers
look towards creating both individual and community relating activities.
If
a student does not want to network or collaborate in a learning community for
an online course, there is potential for a systemic breakdown. It will be
necessary for members of the learning community to understand their role within
the online learning community. Cooperation among group members is critical for
the purpose of completing tasks (Laureate Education, 2008). Group members
establish guidelines, expectations and establish agreements within their
organization. Facilitators can support a successful collaborative online
environment by (a) showing competence, (b) communicating clearly with learners,
(c) creating a safe container for the group, (d) connecting and relating with
learners, and (e) promoting self – organization and empowerment (Palloff &
Pratt, 2005, p. 17). Siemens (Laureate Education, 2008) says a successful
collaborative online environment has several characteristics. Collaborative
online environments have a high level of trust. Collaborative online environments provide information sources. Collaborative online environments allow learners to engage in relationships with tightly knit groups (Laureate Education, 2008).
References
Laureate Education,
Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Palloff,
R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in
community. SanFrancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
The requirement for
this assignment is to introduce a keynote speaker at a distance education
conference. The speaker for the conference is the originator of Connectivism,
George Siemens. Siemens is a professor at the Center for Distance Education. He
also conducts research at the Technology Enhanced Research Institute at
Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. The central theme for the conference is learning
assessment and distance education. The conference explores how distance education provides an
opportunity to incorporate more authentic forms of assessment where learners
are able to construct their own knowledge and learn from each other. The
conference also examines how distance education learning provides an effective
environment that bridges the gap between research and practice. I will
introduce Dr. Siemens by providing a video which explores ways in which
distance education environments provide authentic learning assessments. Below is my tentative story board which
describes the video introduction of the guest speaker.
Visual/Description
Narration/Key
points
Original music plays, with
graphical display of: “World Conference on Education for Sustainable
Development” (approximately 10 seconds).
I will welcome faculty, students
and guests to the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development.
I will also state the central theme of the conference which is learning
assessment and distance education.
Photo of Keynote speaker George
Siemens. Retrieved from:
[Photographs
of George Siemens]. (ca. 2007 – 2012). George
Siemens Learning Analytics Leading Education Innovation
I will state the purpose for introducing
the keynote speaker George Siemens. As a means of support for Professor Siemen’s
topic, I will give an exploration of how distance education environments
support learning assessment.
Distance Education and Learner
Assessment will display on the screen. There will be a display of two other pics of George Siemens
[Photographs
of George Siemens]. (ca. 2007 – 2012). George
Siemens Learning Analytics Leading Education Innovation (approximately 5 seconds).
Contemporary music will play in
the background.
Graphical display of : Use of
Technology to Engage Learners (10 secs). Short video clips of students using
technology as they learn (30 secs)
Music continues. I will speakon how Distance education instructors
are using assessment as a tool to measure the effectiveness of the distance
education platform as a learning space. However, there are limits to research
on how to measure successful learning, transfer of learning, and achievement
of learning outcomes within distance learning environments (Chapman &
Stone, 2010, p. 667).
Video clips of students engaged in
online collaboration is shown (approximately15 seconds).
The music will
begin to fade. I will discuss the challenge of changing assessment models from
individual learning to a model that supports collaborative learning (Laureate
Education, 2008).
“Four models for assessment in a
collaborative environment” will display (approximately 5 seconds). Responses
will display afterwards which include “(a) students assess their peer such as
rating schemes, (b) students receive feedback from online communities such as
list-serves, (c) educators assess based on student contributions such as
wikis, and (d) educators assess based on metrics from learning management
systems” (approximately 1 minute).
I will speak about the four models
of assessment in a collaborative environment (Laureate Education, 2008).
“Log - On”, “Hours Online”, “Group
– Related Activities” and “Post Contributions” will display on the screen
(approximately 5 seconds). Next a video clip of a student working on a
computer will be for display.
I will speak on how learning
management systems allow educators to assess student learning (Palloff &
Pratt, 2005)
Display of computer labs within a
school building (approximately 1 minute)
I will speak about the
characteristics that support learning assessment through online environments.
.
Video clips of teachers working on
computers (approximately 30 seconds).
I will speak on how scholars will benefit from types of
assessment that utilizes teaching pedagogies that are effective. Assessment
should focus on better understanding potential in learning indeterminate
personal and social metamorphic potential (Willnk & Jacobs, 2012, p.
147).
Video clips of teachers working on
computers (approximately 30 seconds)
I will describe blackboard as a
learning management system that allows educators to assess students (Debuse &
Lawley, 2011, p. 163).
“Fair and Direct”, “Based on Student
Outcomes”, and “Equitable” will display on the screen (Approximately 10
seconds). The next display will show students working on computers
(Approximately 10seconds).
I will speak about the concept of
online assessment (Laureate Education, 2008).
Multiple teachers working on
computers will display on the screen (approximately 30 seconds). I will come
on display reading behind a podium (approximately 30 seconds).
Contemporary music will continue
and I will discuss how assessment provides an opportunity for teacher to give
feedback and for students to evaluate online course learnings (Laureate
Education, 2008). Debuse
and Lawley (2011) state that students believe online assessments provides
strong educational, economic, and environmental benefits. Online assessments
have few drawbacks (p. 169).
Applause audio clip displays with
a photo of keynote speaker, George Siemens (approximately15 seconds).
Photos of Keynote speaker George
Siemens. Retrieved from:
[Photographs
of George Siemens]. (ca. 2007 – 2012). George
Siemens Learning Analytics Leading Education Innovation
I
will say, “Distance education instructors are using assessment as a tool to
measure the effectiveness of the distance education platform as a learning space”
(Chapman & Stone, 2010, p. 667). Afterwards, I will say, “It gives me great pleasure to
introduce our keynote speaker, George Siemens”.
References
Ajunwas, O. S. U.
(2010) Integration group – self evaluation in open and distance learning system.
Turkish Online Journal of Distance
Education, 11(4) 76 - 80. Amway, K.M.Y., Mayadas,
A. F. (2010). The sloan – c pillars: towards a balanced approach to measuring
organizational learning. Journal of
Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14(2) 45
- 52. Chapman, D. D., &
Stone, S. J. (2010). Measurement of outcomes in virtual environments. Advances in Human Resources 12(6),
665–680. doi: 10.1177/1523422310394792 Debuse, J. C. W., &
Lawley, M. (2011). Using innovative technology to develop sustainable assessment
practices in marketing education. Journal
of Marketing Education 33, 160 – 170.
doi: 10.1177/02773475311410848 Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author. McCarthy, W. C., Green,
P. J., & Fitch, T. (2010). An examination of collaborative learning assessment
through dialogue (CLAD). Mid-Western
Educational Researcher, 23(2). Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K.
(2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the
virtual classroom.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Palloff,
R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in
community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
[Photographs
of George Siemens]. (ca. 2007 – 2012). George
Siemens Learning Analytics Leading Education InnovationWillink, K. G., &
Jacobs, J. M. (2012). Teaching for change: articulating, profiling, and assessing
transformative learning through communicative capabilities. Journal of Transformative Education 9,
143 – 164. doi: 10.1177/1541344611436012
Elements
of Distance Education Diffusion * Blog Post #2
George
Siemens discussed the growing acceptance of distance education in today’s
corporate and educational spheres, including three possible elements of
distance education that are creating more effective learning experiences and
giving distance education an identity of its own distinct from F2F courses: (a)
global diversity, (b) communication, and (c) collaborative interaction. Do you
agree or disagree with his view?
Select
one of these three elements for your reflection in this module and respond to
the following in your blog:
How has this element evolved?
Collaborative
interaction is an aspect of distance education that is growing acceptance among
corporate and educational environments. George Siemens (Laureate Education,
2010) claims that online learners have practical experiences with new tools.
Online learners are becoming comfortable with online discourse and lifelong
learning (Anderson, 2011, p. 92). Online formats provide technological tools for
helping learners construct new knowledge (Anderson, 2011, p. 94). Determinism
is a technological philosophy where learners utilize media and technological resources
as tools for shaping experiences and building learner capacities (Anderson,
2011, p. 9). Social determinism is another technological philosophy. Anderson
(2011) asserts that educators place emphasis with the integration of
technological artifacts within online settings. Emphasis goes towards how
technology use affects social structures. Emphasis also goes towards how social
and technological use shapes the form and content of student learning
experiences (p. 97).The philosophy
behind technological determinism is to view technologies as causal agents for determining
uses and having a pivotal role in social change (Anderson, 2011, p. 98).
Positive views of collaboration with the use of online formats include formats
for complex problem – solving abilities. The collaborative interaction is an
opportunity for reflective deliberation (Anderson, 2011, p. 100).
What online tools are available today to facilitate
these interactions among learners?
There
are several online tools available today that facilitate and support
interactions among learners. Anderson (2011) asserts that when instructors know
their teaching and technology philosophies, they are able to impact rational
thought, personal growth, or bring about political or social change (p. 111).
Progressive methods of instruction utilize experimental, problem – solving, and
situation learning approaches (Anderson, 2011, p. 103). Online tools to improve
learning include WebCT®, Blackboard®, and Lotus Notes® (Anderson, 2011, p.
104). These tools provide an efficient design for an interactive partnership
between the instructor and students. A humanist method of teaching utilizes
group dynamics, group relations training, group processes, and workshops
(Anderson, 2011, p. 106). The e–learning technologies can provide flexibility,
and convenience for online learning. The radical design of instruction invokes
difference - among political, economic, and social order in society. The
instructional methods include dialogic encounters that lead to praxis. The
activities allow learners to become enablers of radical social change
(Anderson, 2011, pp. 108 – 109). The online learning tools to develop learning
include WebCT®, Blackboard®, and Lotus Notes®, and Moodle (Anderson, 2011, p.
109). The communication tools allow for learners to communicate in a risk –
free and trusting learning environment (Anderson, 2011, p. 109).
References:
Anderson,
T. (Ed.). (2008). The theory and practice of online
learning. (2nd ed.). Edmonton,
AB:
Athabasca University Press.
Laureate Education,
Inc. (2008). Elements of Distance Education Diffusion [Video].Baltimore,
