Creating Classroom Communities Online

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Presentation by Barbara Polnick & Luana Zellner

Creating Classroom Communities Online


2012 SHSU Online Teaching and Learning Conference

August 13, 2012 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

James and Nancy GaertnerPerforming Arts Center

Goals of this Session:

1. Discuss the social, pedagogical and managerial skills needed to build a classroom community online.

2. Explore the tools needed for creating classroom communities, including: Steps for introducing the course. Tips for facilitating interactions. Strategies for managing course content.


Why Classroom Communities?

Enhances student learning (Santovec, 2004)

Students gain a deeper understanding of subject matter w/rich discussions and multiple interactions (Santovec, 2004)

Students believe their needs will be met through commitment to shared goals (Rovai & Lucking, 2000)

Because individuals respond to the demands of online learning in different ways, and because the collaborative style suggested by online learning suits some learners more than others, learners participate in online community in different ways and to differing levels.


Greater inclusivity and sense of unity (Allen, 2000)

Social and academic support for students (Tinto, 1997)

Enhances students’ abilities to persist to complete coursework & graduation (Santovec, 2004)


What Researchers Say

Khoo, & Cowie (2011) depict successful online learning as “a mediated, situated, distributed, goal-directed and participatory activity within a socially and culturally determined learning community” (p. 1).

“Students usually have plenty of experience with online social technologies, but they lack understanding about how to use these tools and methods for course learning” (West, 2010).

“Interest in developing online learning communities and in collaborating online has certainly intensified. It does not matter if you are in school or higher education, corporate training, or military settings, there seems to be support, or at least interest in, developing online communities” (Bonk, Wisher, & Nigrelli, 2004, p. 1).

“One thing is certain, learning communities are more engaging and members more engaged than is the case with traditional instruction” ( Wilcoxon, 2011).

What Researchers Say

Defining Characteristics of Classroom Communities

-• Students know that learning is the main purpose of

the community .

• Learning is more collaborative than competitive.

There is a general sense of connection, belonging, and comfort among members who share purpose or commitment to a common goal

Source: Rovai (2001)

Learning


-

Connectedness

Spirit - Feeling of belonging, acceptance, friendship, and of group identity.

Trust - Feeling safe to speak openly and the community will respond in supportive ways.

Interaction - Believing that closeness and mutual benefit result from working together to complete the goal.


-

Learning Feeling that the community actively

constructed meaning and understanding of the course content and learning was enhanced due to the work of the members of the community.


-

Developing Classroom Communities—Role of the Professor

o Pedagogicalo Socialo Managerialo Technical

Resource: Collins & Berge, 1996

Pedagogical

Designer Role- Develop engaging, challenging activities; learning occurs through independent and collaborative structures

Examples: 1. Students working together using a Wiki for sharing

main points from a text book

(See next slide for example.)


Pedagogical

Designer Role- Develop engaging, challenging activities; learning occurs through independent and collaborative structures

Examples: 2. Students working together to create a collaborative

presentation about a particular topic3. Including a variety of instructional strategies for

diverse learners


Pedagogical

4. Introducing the course with audioEx. MP3audio

5. Introducing the course with video http://www.shsu.edu/~dl_www/Flash%20Vids/Zellner/index.html


662_welcome.mp3662_welcome.mp3662_welcome.mp3

Pedagogical

Facilitator Role- Use questions to develop deep understanding of content

Examples:

1. BlackBoard Discussion- Connection to previous learning


Sun, Jul 19, 2009 -- First Blackboard DiscussionHats off to all of you for a great first discussion in the

Discussion Board in Bb. Revisit the Discussion Board for comments from me on your contributions. Check the Grade Center under Tools for your grade. If you did not receive full credit for this discussion, check the comments under that grade for ways to improve.

Again, thank you for your contributions!Dr. Polnick


Pedagogical—Ex. 2 Facilitator Role

10 Tips for Managing Discussions

1. Ask good questions and providing complete initial instructions2. Conduct ongoing monitoring3. Redirect, providing additional instruction, clarifying as necessary4. Summarize at key junctures, prompting movement toward

resolution5. Privately prompt those who participate too much and those who

don’t participate enough6. Call out and correct netiquette offenders – privately7. Delete inappropriate messages8. Manage conflict at the first sign of an issue9. Move discussions through the cognitive phases, using prompts

10. Move the group through the phases of learner engagement, evolving expectations

(Willcoxon, 2011)

SocialEstablishes climate of respect and trustCreates climate of emotional and academic

safetyFacilitates cohesiveness of groupsInteracts positively with studentsBuilds a culture of acceptance of all class

membersExamples:

1. Introductions—Teacher, students2. Z-Bucks Coffee House


ManagerialDevelops the course timelines, procedural rules, and

decision-making normsDevelops guidelines for group discussionsPosts Announcements, Course SyllabusCommunicates through Email, Phone Calls, Video-

ConferencingFacilitates availability of discussions and course

informationManages assignments/

holds students accountable for assignment deadlines


Managerial ExamplesStudents working together to address some

key points from an assigned reading. Audio Announcements before class startsProfessor maintains accessibility to students Virtual Meetings/Online Office Hours Professor clearly delineates expectations Introducing module with movie clip

(Xtranormal)


TechnicalProficient computer/software/learning system used in course

Support students with clear requirements for all technology tools and instructional materials needed

Aware of options for using technology as a tool for learning

IPOD or Podcast on I-Phones, video clips, Xtranormal clips , Video conferencing/Skype, Virtual classroom


662_welcome.mp3

Knowledge Generation Active and engaged Apply content on a complex level Seeks out additional resources/alternatives to

solve problems

Collaboration Work together to solve problems & complete activities Communicate with class members regularly

Process Management Manage own learning process (time/clarifications of assignments) Active contributors to discussions

Developing Classroom Communities—Role of the Professor Summary

Online classroom communities need:

• Relevant postings to keep all updated

• Learners who contribute to content-oriented thoughtful style

• Instructors who build individual learning styles and varying types of interactions to meet all learners and cultures.

• All class members practice respectful behavior to ensure maximum participation and engagement.

(continued)

• Compassion and tolerance are needed

• Because of the asynchronous nature of online learning, a student whose message expresses insecurity may go “unheard” until you log on.

• All members of the online group need to know to take responsibility for the well-being of their colleagues.

Online classroom communities need:

Summary: What is required to be successful?

• Creation of the community

• Making sure the importance of community is understood by all- The Instructor needs to establish a shared purpose

• Full participation in building and maintaining community in different ways and to different levels.

• Building, maintaining and negotiatinglearning paths toward goals.

The Future: Where are We Headed with Classroom Communities Online?

Before 2002, the concept of building an online learning community centered on creating discussion board interaction between instructor and students and student with students.

Since 2009, students became engaged in more just-in-time interactive communication , doc sharing, and social networking which became more feasible with the wide availability of other technical devices and services (iPads, iPhones, SKYPE, GoTo Meeting, Google Docs, etc.)

Discussion

What are you doing to establish a sense of community online?

Want to Learn More?

Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living web. A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites, 149. Retrieved from http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving

Bonk, C.J., Wisher, R.A., & Nigrelli, M.L. (2004). Learning communities, communities of practice: Principles, technologies, and examples. In K. Littleton, D. Miell, and D. Faulkner (Eds.), Learning to Collaborate: Collaborating to Learn. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Khoo, E., Forret, M., & Cowie, B. (2009). Developing an online learning community: A model for enhancing lecturer and student learning experiences. In Same places, different spaces. Proceedings ascilite Auckland 2009. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/procs/khoo.pdf

Khoo, E., & Cowie, B. (2011). A framework for developing and implementing an online learning community. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 15(1). Retrieved from: http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=138177410274697;res=IELHSS

Want to Learn More??

Ritter, C., Polnick, B., Fink, R. & Oescher, J. (2009). Classroom learning communities in educational leadership: A comparison study of three delivery options. Internet and Higher Education. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.11.005

West, R. E. (2010). A student’s guide to strengthening an online community. TechTrends, 54(5), 69-75. from https://smartsite.ucdavis.edu/access/content/group/e7e1a44b-f444-4ea7-a997-f89ddbbba87d/Articles/West%20Students%20Guide%20to%20Community.pdf

Wilcoxon (Oct., 2011). Building an online learning community. Learning SolutionsMagazine. Retrieved from http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/761/building-an-online-learning-community

Young, S., & Bruce, M.A. (2011). Classroom community and student engagement in online courses. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. 7(2),219-230. Retrieved from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol7no2/young_0611.htm

Thank you for attending our session!

Please keep in touch and share your ideas and research.

[email protected] (Barbara Polnick)[email protected] (Luana Zellner)


Documents

Creating Classroom Communities Online