Facilitating e-Learning: Myths, Magic, or Just a Lot of Bonk?

Dr. Curtis J. Bonk Indiana University and CourseShare.com

http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk

cjbonk@indiana.edu

I. E-Learning Myths II. E-Learning Magic

III. E-Learning Bonk

I. E-Learning Myths….

Myth #1.Instructors can just teach the same

way they always have.

10 Myths of Technology Integration

• Little or no feedback given• Always authoritative• Kept narrow focus of what

was relevant• Created tangential

discussions• Only used “ultimate”

deadlines

• Provided regular qual/quant feedback

• Participated as peer• Allowed perspective sharing• Tied discussion to grades,

other assessments.• Used incremental deadlines

Poor Instructors Good Instructors

Vanessa Dennen’s (2001) Research on Nine Online Courses

(sociology, history, communications, writing, library science, technology, counseling)

Myth #4.Learning is not improved when

using technology.

Brains Before and After Technology Integration

BeforeAfter

Basic Distance Learning Finding?

• Research since 1928 shows that DL students perform as well as their counterparts in a traditional classroom setting.

Per: Russell, 1999, The No Significant Difference Phenomenon (5th Edition), NCSU, based on 355 research reports.

http://cuda.teleeducation.nb.ca/nosignificantdifference/

Myth #6.There are no models or best practices

for teaching with technology.

Part I. Best Practices:Who are some of the key

scholars and players…???

Let’s brainstorm comments (words or short phrases) that reflect your overall attitudes

and feelings towards online teaching…

Feelings Toward Online TeachingThe Online Teacher, TAFE, Guy Kemshal-Bell (April, 2001)

(Note: 94 practitioners surveyed.)

• Exciting (30)

• Challenging (24)

• Time consuming (22)

• Demanding (18)

• Technical issue (16); Flexibility (16)

• Potential (15)

• Better options (14); Frustrating (14)

• Collab (11); Communication (11); Fun (11)

What are your e-learning myths???

II. E-Learning Magic….

It Works!!!

Can a community magically occur online?

How Facilitate Online Community?• Safety: Establish safe environment• Tone: Flexible, inviting, positive, respect• Personal: Self-disclosures, open, stories telling• Sharing: Share frustrations, celebrations, etc• Collaboration: Camaraderie/empathy• Common language: conversational chat space• Task completion: set milestones & grp goals• Other: Meaningful, choice, simple, purpose...

Facilitating Electronic Discussion

• Provide Guidelines and Structure (e.g. assign due dates, times, and points)

• Instructor modeling better than guidelines • Deadlines motivate but also limit participation• Be patient, prompt, and clear• Constantly Monitor, Converse not Dictate• Weave and Summarize Weekly• Foster Role Play, Debate, and Interaction

The Center for Research on Learning and Technology, Indiana University

Learning to Teach with Technology Studio

TICKIT Goals• Knowledge, skill, & confidence

• Thoughtful infusion of technology

• Help schools capitalize on their technology investments

• Deeper student learning

• Leadership cadres in schools

• Link schools and university

TICKIT Training and Projects:• Web: Web quests, Web search, Web edit/pub.

– Includes class, department, or school website.

• Write: Electronic newsletters, book reviews.

• Tools: Photoshop, Inspiration, PowerPoint.

• Telecom: e-mail with foreign countries Key pals.

• Computer conferencing: Nicenet.org.

• Digitizing: using camera, scanning, digitizing.

• Videoconferencing: connecting classes.

• E-Learning: HighWired.com, MyClass.net, Lightspan.com, eBoard.com

Overview of TICKIT

•In-service teacher education program

•Rural schools in southern Indiana

•Yearlong, 25 teachers from 5 schools

•Primarily school-based

•Supported by participating school systems, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and Indiana University

Not everything is magical!

Online Technology Pushes Pedagogy to the Forefront

Frank Newman & J. Scurry, Chronicle of Higher Ed, July 13, 2001, B7.

“Many faculty members are still concerned whether the technology is simple and reliable enough to use for more-sophisticated learning tasks. Increasingly, however, better software is emerging that engages students in more effective learning.”

Timeout for a break from our sponsors…

III. E-Learning BonkFRAMEWORKS!

1. Reflect on Extent of Integration:The Web Integration Continuum

Level 1: Course Marketing/Syllabi via the WebLevel 2: Web Resource for Student ExplorationLevel 3: Publish Student-Gen Web ResourcesLevel 4: Course Resources on the WebLevel 5: Repurpose Web Resources for Others======================================Level 6: Web Component is Substantive & GradedLevel 7: Graded Activities Extend Beyond ClassLevel 8: Entire Web Course for Resident StudentsLevel 9: Entire Web Course for Offsite StudentsLevel 10: Course within Programmatic Initiative

2. Four Key Hats of Instructors:– Technical—do students have basics? Does their

equipment work? Passwords work?

– Managerial—Do students understand the assignments and course structure?

– Pedagogical—How are students interacting, summarizing, debating, thinking?

– Social—What is the general tone? Is there a human side to this course? Joking allowed?

– Other: firefighter, convener, weaver, tutor, conductor, host, mediator, filter, editor, facilitator, negotiator, e-police, concierge, marketer, assistant, etc.

Still More HatsAssistantDevil’s advocateEditorExpertFilterFirefighterFacilitator

GardenerHelperLecturerMarketerMediatorPriestPromoter

3.

Push to Explore: "You might want to write to Dr. ‘XYZ’ for...," "You might want to do an ERIC search on this topic...," "Perhaps there is a URL on the Web that addresses this topic..."

But there problems…

Problems FacedAdministrative:• “Lack of admin vision.”

• “Lack of incentive from admin and the fact that they do not understand the time needed.”

• “Lack of system support.”

• “Little recognition that this is valuable.”

• “Rapacious U intellectual property policy.”

• “Unclear univ. policies concerning int property.”

Pedagogical:• “Difficulty in performing

lab experiments online.”• “Lack of appropriate

models for pedagogy.”

Time-related:• “More ideas than time to

implement.” • “Not enough time to

correct online assign.”• “People need sleep; Web

spins forever.”

How Avoid Shovelware?

“This form of structure… encourages teachers designing new products to simply “shovel” existing resources into on-line Web pages and discourages any deliberate or intentional design of learning strategy.” (Oliver & McLoughlin, 1999)

How Bad Is It?“Some frustrated Blackboard users who say

the company is too slow in responding to technical problems with its course-management software have formed an independent users’ group to help one another and to press the company to improve.”

(Jeffrey Young, Nov. 2, 2001, Chronicle of Higher Ed)

Intrinsic Motivational Terms?

1. Tone/Climate: Psych Safety, Comfort, Belonging2. Feedback: Responsive, Supports, Encouragement3. Engagement: Effort, Involvement, Excitement4. Meaningfulness: Interesting, Relevant, Authentic5. Choice: Flexibility, Opportunities, Autonomy6. Variety: Novelty, Intrigue, Unknowns7. Curiosity: Fun, Fantasy, Control8. Tension: Challenge, Dissonance, Controversy9. Interactive: Collaborative, Team-Based, Community10. Goal Driven: Product-Based, Success, Ownership

Intrinsic Motivation“…innate propensity to engage one’s interests

and exercise one’s capabilities, and, in doing so, to seek out and master optimal challenges

(i.e., it emerges from needs, inner strivings, and personal curiosity for growth)

See: Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. NY: Plenum Press.

1. Tone/Climate: Social Ice BreakersA. Readiness Checklist

1. The amount of time I can devote to this class is…

2. I am a self-motivated individual.

3. I am a good “time-manager.”

4. I complete whatever I start.

5. I am not a procrastinator--I like to get things done today and not put off for tomorrow.

1. Tone/Climate: Ice Breakers

B. Eight Nouns Activity:1. Introduce self using 8 nouns2. Explain why choose each noun3. Comment on 1-2 peer postings

C. Two Truths, One Lie (Kulp, IBM)

1. Tell 2 truths and 1 lie about yourself2. Class votes on which is the lie

2. Feedback:A. Learner-Content Interactions

2. Feedback:B. Anonymous Suggestion Box

George Watson, Univ of Delaware, Electricity and Electronics for Engineers:

1. Students send anonymous course feedback (Web forms or email)

2. Submission box is password protected3. Instructor decides how to respond4. Then provide response and most or all of suggestion

in online forum5. It defuses difficult issues, airs instructor views, and

justified actions publicly.6. Caution: If you are disturbed by criticism, perhaps do

not use.

3. Engagement:A. Electronic Voting and Polling

1. Ask students to vote on issue before class (anonymously or send directly to the instructor)

2. Instructor pulls our minority pt of view3. Discuss with majority pt of view4. Repoll students after class(Or Delphi or TimedDisclosure Technique) anonymous input till a due date and then post results and

reconsider until consensus Rick Kulp, IBM, 1999)

3. EngagementB. Annotations and Animations:

MetaText (eBooks)

4. Meaningfulness:A. Job or Field Reflections

1. Instructor provides reflection or prompt for job related or field observations

2. Reflect on job setting or observe in field3. Record notes on Web and reflect on

concepts from chapter4. Respond to peers5. Instructor summarizes posts

5. Choice: A. Web Resource Reviews

6. Variety: A. Just-In-Time-Teaching

Gregor Novak, IUPUI Physics Professor (teaches teamwork, collaboration, and effective communication):

1. Lectures are built around student answers to short quizzes that have an electronic due date just hours before class.

2. Instructor reads and summarizes responses before class and weaves them into discussion and changes the lecture as appropriate.

7. Curiosity:A. Synchronous Chats

1. Find article or topic that is controversial

2. Invite person associated with that article (perhaps based on student suggestions)

3. Hold real time chat4. Pose questions5. Discuss and debrief (i.e., did anyone

change their minds?)(Alternatives: B. Email Interviews with experts; C. Assignments with expert reviews)

       

                                        

8. Tension: A. Role Play

• List possible roles or personalities (e.g., coach, questioner, optimist, devil’s advocate, etc.)

• Sign up for different role every week (or for 5-6 key roles during semester)

• Reassign roles if someone drops class• Perform within roles—try to refer to

different personalities in peer commenting

Role 8: Conqueror or Debater/Arguer/Bloodletter

• Takes ideas into action, debates with others, persists in arguments and never surrenders or compromises nomatter what the casualties are when addressing any problem or issue.

Role 10: Slacker/Slough/Slug/Surfer Dude

• In this role, the student does little or nothing to help him/herself or his/her peers learn. Here, one can only sit back quietly and listen, make others do all the work for you, and generally have a laid back attitude (i.e., go to the beach) when addressing this

problem.

9. Interactive: A. Critical/Constructive Friends, Email Pals…

1. Assign a critical friend (based on interests?).

2. Post weekly updates of projects, send reminders of due dates, help where needed.

3. Provide criticism to peer (I.e., what is strong and weak, what’s missing, what hits the mark) as well as suggestions for strengthening. In effect, critical friends do not slide over weaknesses,

but confront them kindly and directly.

4. Reflect on experience.

10. Goal Driven and Products:A. Gallery Tours

1. Low Risk <-------> High RiskJob Risk Continuum

2. Low Time <-------> High TimeTime Continuum

3. Low Reality <-------> High RealityAuthenticity Continuum

4. Low Cost <-------> High CostExpense Continuum

Final advice…whatever you do…