transforming learning environments: co-constructionism in he classrooms
TRANSCRIPT
Transforming learning environments:
Co-constructionism in higher education classrooms
Dr. Julia Parra & Susan W. BontlyNew Mexico State University, College of Education, LDT
Program
Introduction
Shared knowledge construction, co-constructionism
Insights from instructor & doctoral student Alternating autoethnographic voices (instructor,
student)
Context
Most recent iteration of Learning Design & Technology course for Masters & PhD students
Develop skills to effectively apply basic as well as emerging and potentially transformative instructional design models to a variety of learning environments
HyFlex (Beatty, 2007), Canvas, variety of tech tools Participatory course design framework = Co-creation
of curriculum & activities Shared power (Brubaker, 2011)
Experiences with Participatory Course Design
Initial Assignment First Class
• Email to students • Co-design goals, LOs, key
questions & topics• Co-design learning activities,
assessments & schedule • Overwhelming response
• Discussion of shared power & co-creation• Team creation & time for discussion
without instructor present• Develop 5 class goals/team• Identify activities & assessments
• Excitement• Concern about how new students
would view initial assignment• Confirmed by f2f conversation with
new student
• Confusion & frustration from new students
• Effective motivator• Identified 6 activities/assessments
Experiences with Participatory Course Design
Second Class Succeeding Assignments
• First draft of curriculum• 2 standout projects• Podcasts• Class book
• Need to create method to scaffold publishing process• Let go of perfectionism• Key activity – “15 Minutes of Fame”
• Discussion & negotiation• Empowerment• Apprehension at complexity• ‘Buy-in’??
• ‘The Class Book’• “15 Minutes of Fame” presentation• Continuous discussion of format & content • Some re-negotiation of schedule• CoPs & emerging scholars (Monaghan, 2011;
Kriner et al, 2015)
Lessons Learned
Instructor: Keep initial online discussion activity prior to start of
class. Continue to build upon Abdelmalak’s (2013) 5
strategies.
Student: Emphasize collaboration & discussion. Keep fluidness of course structure.
References cited
Abdelmalak, M. M. M. (2013). Students' active participation in curriculum design and implementation: A case of a graduate education course (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest. (1517862342)
Beatty, B. J. (2007). Hybrid classes with flexible participation options–If you build it, how will they come? Paper presented at the 2007 Annual Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Anaheim, CA.
Brubaker, N. D. (2012). Negotiating authority through jointly constructing the course curriculum. Teachers and Teaching, 18(2), 159-180.
Monaghan, C. H. (2011). Communities of practice: A learning strategy for professional development. Journal of Management Education, 35, 428-453.
Kriner, B. A., Coffman, K. A., Adkisson, A. C., Putnam, P. G., & Monaghan, C. H. (2015). From students to scholars: The transformative power of Communities of Practice. Adult Learning, (26)2, 73-80.
Contact information
Instructor: Dr. Julia Parra Associate Professor, Learning Design & Technology [email protected] @desertjul
Student: Susan W. Bontly PhD student, Learning Design & Technology [email protected] @SusanBNM