Download - Building Learning Communities Online
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 – [email protected]@cornell.edu Paul Treadwell – Paul Treadwell – [email protected]@cornell.edu Louise Buck – Louise Buck – [email protected]@cornell.edu Rebecca Hargrave – Rebecca Hargrave – [email protected]@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/