Wk 3: Role of Community in Online Class

 Community in class as opposed to a community that comes together voluntarily are different. The example in Digital Habitats (Wegner et al., 2009) is about a community that comes together voluntarily because of a common interest. Students in an online class are in the discussion forum because it is a requirement. Sometimes, community in a class feels forced. It has no permanence. But, if handled properly, during that limited time when the online students have shared ideals and goals, community exists. Having the first post about oneself, as Dr. Novak required, helps the students get to know each other and find a few things in common. By having the entire class post and the entire class read, gave us the opportunity to get a feel for our classmates. But having an entire class in a single thread is often too much. It becomes easy to get lost and only the most frequent voice gets heard. In our second assignment, with only four of us, we begin to get a better feel for how we approach the material. Between the two threads we know a little about each other personally as well as academically. Smaller group helps to start the growth of community.

But I dont it is a requirement to have small groups for their to be a community.  Look at today's MOOCs.  Some have 1000's participating.  While its true that a person cant have a meaningful relationship with 1000's at one time.  I find that within the MOOC I glance at many posts and tweets, and begin to find those who either I agree with or challenge my beliefs and focus in on developing a community with that group.

ROLE OF SYNCHRONOUS COLLABORATION TOOLS

This week we had the opportunity to interact synchronously through Blackboard Elluminate.  It is one of the few times that we several of us are on at the same time, and we can hear and see each other.  Synchronous communications certainly has its benefits.  It helps to create community as it makes each participate appear as fully human.  The downside is that it is, of course, synchronous.  If someone took this class specifically because of its asynchronous attributes, having to be available at a proscribed time is actually stressful and sometimes impossible.  (Fortunately, a third time slot was added for this week.)  There are other issues related to web conferencing.  The technology requires that folks be careful not to trip over each other (ie not speak at the same time, if there is no echo cancellation - cant have mics open at the same time etc.)  This means that someone has to "run" the session.  In our case, the session was run by the instructor.  I find that during our asynchronous activities there's a feeling of democracy.  During the synchronous session there was much more of a traditional feel of being instructor led.  This is not bad, just an item to point out.  Elluminate does not support continuous presence (I believe that Collaborate does - but I haven't played with it yet.)  Thus, only the video of the the person speaking can be seen.  With continuous presence it easier to have a conversation, rather than a lecture with student questions and participation.  One of the features that I like the best, is the ability to have back channel talk via the chat.  It helps to organize who is speaking next, gives folks an opportunity to make side comments and share information without disrupting the flow from the current speaker.  Overall, I enjoy participating in synchronous collaborations, particularly those with audio and video like Elluminate.

History of Distance Education

Week 2. Discussion – History of Distance Education

Thank heaven for blogs. This week’s discussion board assignment is limited to 150 words – I couldn’t do it.  I wrote 202 words.  And even that felt incomplete.  So here is what I really wanted to say about the history of distance education.

DE started in the mid/late 1800’s with stenography by mail courses, morphing eventually college courses by mail. In the late 1900’s correspondence letters and books becomes CD’s.  Students mail in work, get it evaluated and then it gets mailed back to the student. The relationship is just between the teacher and the student and controlled by the teacher. The early days of online, speed up the process, but its still fairly static. The relationship remains exclusive between teacher and student.

Casey (2008) makes the argument that the development of DE parallels advances in technology.  While that is true, to me, it’s an argument that says the development of travel patterns parallels the development of the airplane.  I think what is more interesting to explore is the changes in pedagogic theory. 

How do we deal with social media within this historical context?  What does the history of distance learning suggest about the future of current technologies?

While the development of DE is enabled by improvements in technology (Casey, 2008); it is the changes in pedagogic theory that influence DE.  On-ground class has moved from monologic teaching to dialogic learning.  Social media is the next step moving online to social learning.  Early DE was characterized by monologic teaching with the teacher in complete control and initiating all interaction with the student. 

Teacher  --> Student (correspondence / radio / television / CD / tapes)

In the 1960s-70s, the use of manipulatives in elementary education became popular. The open classroom movement of the 1970s allows for a learning process that is student-centered, but still controlled by the teacher.

Teacher <--> Student (email / discussion board)

Evidence based learning, formalized in the early 1990’s and project based learning (PBL) make students responsible for their own learning. Social media allows students to control their learning and to become producers as well as consumers of learning materials.  Social media allows students to interact with each other without the mediation of the teacher.

“Web .20 methods have introduced interactive networking concepts that enliven educational activities with greater personalized meaning and socialized connectivity.” Web 3.0  “a more personalized connected web of education experience.” (McKee, 2010)

Student <--> Student <-->Teacher (wikis / blogs / youtube / facebook / twitter / etc)

Learning communities benefit from social media. The impact of technology on distance education is the greater presence of community in our learning and teaching.  Learning is no longer an isolating activity – CONNECTIVISM.

Student <--> Student (MOOCs)

Resources:

Casey, Denise M. “The Historical Development of Distance Education through Technology” TechTrends 52.2 (2008): 45-51.

McKee, Terralyn. “Thirty Years of Distance Education: Personal Reflections.” International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 11.2 (May 2010): 100-109.

Wenger, E., White, N., & Smith, J. “Technology and Community: a glimpse of history.” Digital Habitats: Stewarding Technology for Communities. Portland, OR: CPsquare, 2009. 13-21.

Fall 2012 Introduction

I feel a little bit like I’m at an AA meeting.  Hi I’m Sheri and I’ve been taking educational technology courses since January. (Hi Sheri – responds the class). 

This is the third and last class of the 3 required courses for the graduate certificate in educational technology.  The first two classes focused on practice with a touch of theory.  This class is primarily about theory with a touch of practice.  I find that I’m looking forward to it.  A theory class brings me back to my sociological roots. 

I’m the Director for Educational Technology Initiatives for NJEDge.Net, a non profit consortium of educational institutions in the state of NJ.  I consider myself a “working sociologist,” responsible for creating and maintaining community among K20 faculty and professionals.  To this end I run 60+ face-to-face meetings and special events, professional development, webinars and more. Completing this certification will go a long way credentialing me and preparing me to provide leadership in the area of technology, learning and teaching for the NJEDge community.

Over the last (xxxx-intentionally muffling) years, I have taught sociology, statistics, research methods and anthropology to college students.  I am very comfortable using technology tools as an adjunct or primary method for learning and teaching.  Over the years I’ve used a variety of learning management, asynchronous and synchronous collaboration tools.  I am active in national organizations including WCET (educational technology), the Quilt (regional education networks) and Internet2 (national research and education network).

I am particularly interested in MOOCs and their role in formal education; along with the role of badges and other new models of online learning. 

I do have some mixed feelings about online learning as a substitute for degree programs for traditional college students.  If college is only about learning then online education will meet the end.  However, if college is about community, socialization, dating, dormitory life, sports, campus jobs and more, then online education cannot meet the end goal.  Even among non-traditionally aged college students, community is a vital part of the learning process. 

I found Nancy White’s (2009) presentation enlightening.  White describes how technology has fundamentally changed how people can be together.  She focuses on the role technology plays in creating and sustaining community without having to be in the same physical room. Understanding the orientations at play within a community helps to understand what technology tools best support the needs of that community.  Learning to use technology properly to maintain community raises online learning to an appropriate level.  But I still have to ask about the role of MOOCs where the size makes it easy to get lost. 

Today’s students must be exposed to eLearning tools to help students become productive in a growing online world.  It is my job to support and promote eLearning in NJ’s academic institutions.  My question is what is lost when students only eLearning tools without a college experience. 

Sheri's Blog

Summer Self Introduction

Introduction to Sociology Course (hope to develop a module for this class): 

White, Nancy, 2009. Digital Habitats:  Stewarding Technology For Communities. Streamed Live for the Online Convergence Conference http://www.technology/forcommunitites.com