Promoting a Real and Virtual Community of Learners

Technology in Theological Education Group (TTEG)

Scottsdale, ArizonaNovember 16, 2012

Mark A. Maddix, Ph.D.Dean, School of Theology

Northwest Nazarene University

Social Media RevolutionFacebook, Twitter, Linkedin, blogging, etc.

These virtual “communities” are a testimony of the way social interaction is taking place in virtual spaces.

What constitutes “real” virtual learning communities?

Online Learning Communities• Learning Communities help individual learners “achieve what they cannot do on their own” (Shea & Pickett, 2006, 155).

• Community means “to share” (Palloff & Pratt, 1999, 25).

• Sharing occurs through interaction within social networks which are formed in community.

Defining Learning CommunitiesA sense of shared purposeEstablished boundaries that define who is a member and who is not.

Establishment and enforcement of rules/policies regarding community behavior,

Regular interaction among members (faculty and students)

A level of trust, respect and support among community members.

Why Online Learning Communities?Learning and formation takes place best in

supportive social contexts.

Social learning creates a context for persons to be spiritually formed and shaped.Concern about “disembodied” education.Online education can provide a context for

contextualized embodiment which is incarnational (Hess, 2005).

Divine Pedagogy as koinonia is not restricted to physical presence since Paul says we enjoy the fellowship with Christ now (I Cor. 1:9).

Developing Online Learning Communities

Transactional Distance is the psychological and communication gap between instructor and student (Moore and Kearsley, 2011).

Transaction distance is reduced through the frequency of dialogue and discussion with students and faculty (Rovai, 2002).

Regular online dialogue through forums between faculty-student and student-student creates real community.

Social PresenceCommunication online must be more than in a face-to-face course---social presence enhances community (Ravoi, 2005).

The best online faculty are actively present in the course (daily).

When social presence increases it enhances learning (Rovai 2002, 8).

Keeping pace with the class-if you are not present the student will move on.

Prompt feedback from faculty.

Community of Inquiry Model (CIM)

Garrison and Anderson, 2003, 29

Community of Inquiry Model (CIM)Cognitive Presence is the extent to which the participants are able to construct meaning through sustained communication. It is a higher order of thinking and learningDiscussion and dialogue that fosters critical

thinking.

Social Presence is the ability of learners to project their personal characteristics into the community as “real people.”

Teaching Presence is defined as the design and facilitation of the course providing personal meaning and worthwhile educational learning outcomes (Garrison & Anderson, 2003, 29).The Teacher is to facilitate structured and appropriate online learning guidelines to ensure student engagement.

Constructivist rather instructivistic approach to education.

What Students and Faculty ranked as important in building online communities?

Student Ranking Order

Instructor ModelingStudent interest in class

Sufficient time for discussion & interaction

Interaction and dialogue

Faculty Ranking Order

Interaction and dialogueStudent interest in classSufficient time for discussion & interaction

Instructor Modeling

Vesely, P. , L. Bloom, & J. Sherlock. (2007).

Developing Supportive Learning Communities

• Students need to feel welcomed, supported, and safe for effective learning.

• Create course with equal dialogue between• Student and Student• Faculty and Student• Students to Course Materials (lectures

and reading materials)

• Small Group Projects and Discussion

• Be sensitive to gender and ethnic differences in the online context.

• Talk with students who dominate discussion or students who are more silent.

• Be careful not to give judgmental answers or confront students when you are emotionally charged.• Make phone calls• Skype account for all students

• Discussion is the heart of online learning.

• Develop good communication through open questions and specific questions related to content areas.

• Avoid two extremes, Mothering and Orphaning.

Online Discussion Forums

• Discussion Board Rubric

• Discussion Board includes:• Open question and answer forums• Encourage critical thinking• Support students reflections • Give answers to course readings and materials.

• Develop Assignments that encourage active learning-apply information to students life.

Framework Rubric

• Provide a clear discussion board rubric:– Thoughtful responses (knowledge)– Clarity of grammar/writing (content)– Submitted on time.

• Provide clear guidelines for discussion posts.

• Be clear about the frequency of responses and the word length of responses.

• Summarize threads to prompt further exploration.

• Praise students who respond effectively. • Watch the use of humor, especially if cultural

and ethnic backgrounds vary widely. • Setting the pace:

– Monitor the class daily. – Answer all outstanding questions each

session. – Provide "whole class" feedback at regular

intervals. – Proactively contact those who are falling

behind.

Wonderful!5

Great!4

Acceptable3

Inadequate2

Poor1

Score

Stays on Task The studentFollows teacher’sinstructions andguidance.

Occasionallythe student getsoff task andgets back ontask without theneed of theteacher’sassistance.

The student ison task most ofthe time and isresponsive toguidance meantto bring thestudent back ontask.

The studentstarts outfollowing thespecificinstructions ofthe assignmentbut rapidlymoves offsubject.

The student isunresponsive toinstructorguidance.

The studentparticipates in the discussionin timely andsubstantiveways.

The studentposts to theonlinediscussion 4 ormore times withposts that areon task andcontribute in asubstantive wayto the postedquestion.

The studentposts to theonlinediscussion 3times with poststhat are on taskand contributein a substantiveway to thepositedquestion.

The studentposts to theonlinediscussion 2times with poststhat are on taskand contributein a substantiveway to thepostedquestion.

The studentposts to theonlinediscussion 1times with apost that is ontask andcontributes in asubstantive wayto the postedquestion.

The student hasnot participatedin ways that areon task andcontribute in asubstantive wayto the postedquestion.

The studentdemonstratesa knowledgebase fromassigned texts

The student’sposts are clearlybuilt on familiarity withandcomprehensionof assignedmaterials.

The student’sposts are clearlybuilt onfamiliarity withand limitedcomprehensionof assignedmaterials.

The student’sposts are clearlybuilt on somefamiliarity withandcomprehensionof assignedmaterials.

The student’sposts are builton somefamiliarity withand limitedcomprehensionof assignedmaterials.

The student’spostsdemonstrate alack offamiliarity withandcomprehensionof assignedmaterials.

How to develop online learning communities?• All classes should not exceed 15-20 students.

• Online discussion should be 25-30% of the class assignments and grade.

• Ministry is contextualized through ministry engagement.

• Students have mentors for personal, spiritual, and skill development.

• Virtual Water Cooler

• Prayer Room for prayer requests and devotionals (online devotionals).

• Technology….• Audacity• Adobe-Connect• Skype

• Asynchronous and Synchronous learning

Mark A. Maddix, Ph.D.Dean, School of Theology Professor of Practical TheologyNorthwest Nazarene Universitymamaddix@nnu.edu

Best Practices of Online Education:A Guide for Christian Higher Education(Information Age Publishing)http://www.infoagepub.com/

Garrison, D. R. and T. Anderson. (2003). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. New York: Routledge.

Hess, Mary. (2005). Engaging technology in theological education. All that we cannot leave behind. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Lehman, Rosemary M and S. C.O. Conceicao (2010). Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “be there” for Distance Learners. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Maddix, Mark, J. Estep, and M. Lowe (2011). Best Practice of Online Education: A Guide to Christian Higher Education (Charlotte: Information Age Publishing).

Moore, M. G. and G. Kearsley (2011). Distance education: A systems view of online learning (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Palloff, R. M. and K. Pratt. ( 2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

_______. (1999). Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace: Effective Strategies for the Online Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass..

Ravoi, A. (2002). Building a Sense of Community at a Distance. International Review of Research in Open and Distant Learning, 3(1), 1-16.

Shea, P., C. Li, and A. Pickett. (2006). A study of teaching presence and student sense of learning community in fully online and web-enhanced college courses. Internet and Higher Education, 42(2), 91-100.

United States Department of Education (2009). Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

Vesely, P. , L. Bloom, & J. Sherlock. (2007). Key Elements of Building Online Community: Comparing Faculty and Student Perceptions. MERLOT Journal of Online Teaching and Learning, 3:3, September. http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no3/vesely.htm