Building Online Learning Building Online Learning Communities Communities

Lessons Learned from the Lessons Learned from the Development of a Web Based Development of a Web Based

Forest Farming CourseForest Farming Course

Paul Treadwell, Ken Mudge, Louise Buck, Rebecca Hargrave

October 2007 – CCE System Conference

Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities

Learning communities can:Learning communities can: Facilitate new learningFacilitate new learning Encourage connectionsEncourage connections Invite participationInvite participation

Online learning communities :Online learning communities : Expand accessibilityExpand accessibility Diminish some barriersDiminish some barriers Create new connectionsCreate new connections

The beginningThe beginning

HWWFF version 1HWWFF version 1 A learning “module” A learning “module”

developed as part of developed as part of The The National Learning National Learning Center for Private Center for Private Forest and Range Forest and Range LandownersLandowners

Video intensive Video intensive approach to demonstrate approach to demonstrate practicepractice

A little historyA little history

SARE funding to support the development of a SARE funding to support the development of a “learning community” based on the HWWFF“learning community” based on the HWWFF Partnership with Penn StatePartnership with Penn State Innovative approach to content development and deliveryInnovative approach to content development and delivery Relatively undeveloped content areaRelatively undeveloped content area

Importance of community and Importance of community and collaboration.collaboration.

Social ProcessSocial Process Mentor relationships and scaffoldingMentor relationships and scaffolding Creation of a shared cultureCreation of a shared culture

Encouraging collaborationEncouraging collaboration

Tools we deployed to facilitate collaboration:Tools we deployed to facilitate collaboration: Discussion board Discussion board Wiki Wiki Blog Blog Learning Content Management SystemLearning Content Management System

The IMFIRPThe IMFIRP

The Internet-mediated Forest Farming The Internet-mediated Forest Farming Instructional Resource Package (IMFIRP)Instructional Resource Package (IMFIRP) Based on MoodleBased on Moodle Community and collaboration toolsCommunity and collaboration tools

Social PresenceSocial Presence Discussion boardsDiscussion boards File sharingFile sharing

Contextual ChallengesContextual Challenges

Disconnect between expectations and realityDisconnect between expectations and reality Sporadic ParticipationSporadic Participation Backsliding – email usageBacksliding – email usage

Difficulties in encouraging participationDifficulties in encouraging participation Lack of motivationLack of motivation Lack of familiarity/comfort with hardware/softwareLack of familiarity/comfort with hardware/software Lack of bandwidthLack of bandwidth

““Ownership” and CommunityOwnership” and Community

Who “owns” the content developed in Who “owns” the content developed in community?community?

Collaborative necessitiesCollaborative necessities BoundariesBoundaries RulesRules TrustTrust

Necessity drives developmentNecessity drives development

Encroaching deadlinesEncroaching deadlines Reporting and grant requirementsReporting and grant requirements

Narrowing of collaborative “sphere”Narrowing of collaborative “sphere” Phase One needs:Phase One needs:

Development Development New contentNew content Pilot coursePilot course Evaluation and assessment toolsEvaluation and assessment tools

Identification and RequirementsIdentification and Requirements Extension EducatorsExtension Educators LandownersLandowners

HWWFF resource centerHWWFF resource center

The new “resource The new “resource center” center” re-organized contentre-organized content navigation aides navigation aides new tools creatednew tools created

New content developmentsNew content developments

Site assessment workbook and case studySite assessment workbook and case study Online presentation of skills Online presentation of skills Downloadable workbookDownloadable workbook Case study workbookCase study workbook

The pilotThe pilot

The pilot course was conducted using Moodle The pilot course was conducted using Moodle 9 week course9 week course 3 parallel courses– 20 educators and 65 forest 3 parallel courses– 20 educators and 65 forest

owners participatedowners participated Pre and post course surveysPre and post course surveys

Evaluating progressEvaluating progress

Formative evaluation.Formative evaluation. Pre and Post surveyPre and Post survey Access logsAccess logs Activity logsActivity logs

AnalysisAnalysis

The surveys were designed to evaluate the The surveys were designed to evaluate the usability of the content and the delivery systemusability of the content and the delivery system Analysis revealed a significant relationship Analysis revealed a significant relationship

between connection speed and perceived ease of between connection speed and perceived ease of use of MOODLEuse of MOODLE

No significant relationship between previous No significant relationship between previous experience and comfort level with technology and experience and comfort level with technology and perceived ease of use perceived ease of use

Additional survey data and results will be Additional survey data and results will be made available this autumnmade available this autumn

Lessons learnedLessons learned

The introduction of new technologies to The introduction of new technologies to educators was problematic educators was problematic

Existing skill set is insufficiently developedExisting skill set is insufficiently developed Success requires:Success requires:

Focus on skills developmentFocus on skills development Structured learning experiences for educatorsStructured learning experiences for educators

HWWTFFO HWWTFFO

The HWWTFFO provided a systematic The HWWTFFO provided a systematic approach to working with forest farming approach to working with forest farming content to create distance learning coursescontent to create distance learning courses Facilitated by trust and personal relationshipsFacilitated by trust and personal relationships Educators enjoyed “learning by doing”Educators enjoyed “learning by doing” Mentor relationships essentialMentor relationships essential

BandwidthBandwidth

Bandwidth can be a substantial barrier to Bandwidth can be a substantial barrier to successful engagement onlinesuccessful engagement online Strategies to compensate for “narrowband” Strategies to compensate for “narrowband”

connections include:connections include: Providing alternative paths to bandwidth intensive Providing alternative paths to bandwidth intensive

elements elements Maintaining an awareness of the technical capacity of Maintaining an awareness of the technical capacity of

participantsparticipants Flexibility in content development and deliveryFlexibility in content development and delivery

Applying the lessonsApplying the lessons

Growing awareness of the “digital divide”Growing awareness of the “digital divide” Discussion and creative engagement are needed Discussion and creative engagement are needed

around this issuearound this issue CCE Online Instructor Certification programCCE Online Instructor Certification program

An online learning community?An online learning community?

During the pilot phase elements of community During the pilot phase elements of community were apparent:were apparent: Discussion boards provided a space for interactionDiscussion boards provided a space for interaction Landowners recruited for the pilot had a local Landowners recruited for the pilot had a local

connection with educators – the online course connection with educators – the online course facilitated access to broader expertise and facilitated access to broader expertise and experienceexperience

With one exception no longer term “community” With one exception no longer term “community” developed out of the projectdeveloped out of the project

What about the landowners?What about the landowners?

Landowners participated in the pilot to Landowners participated in the pilot to evaluate the contentevaluate the content

Impact of content on practice:Impact of content on practice: Post course follow up received responses from 16 Post course follow up received responses from 16

landownerslandowners Longer term follow-up neededLonger term follow-up needed

After SAREAfter SARE

The How, When and Why of Forest Farming The How, When and Why of Forest Farming is being offered by a CCE educator, on an on-is being offered by a CCE educator, on an on-going basisgoing basis

The CCE Instructor Certification program has The CCE Instructor Certification program has been institutedbeen instituted

Data gathered from the pilot is being used to Data gathered from the pilot is being used to guide new course developmentguide new course development

Always growingAlways growing

The HWWFF resource center continues to grow as The HWWFF resource center continues to grow as more is learnedmore is learned

Contact usContact us

Ken Mudge – Ken Mudge – kwm2@cornell.edukwm2@cornell.edu Paul Treadwell – Paul Treadwell – pt36@cornell.edupt36@cornell.edu Louise Buck – Louise Buck – leb3@cornell.eduleb3@cornell.edu Rebecca Hargrave – Rebecca Hargrave – jrh45@cornell.edujrh45@cornell.edu

The How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource centerThe How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource center http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/

The How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource centerThe How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource center http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/InstructorsGuide/http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/InstructorsGuide/