ENGAGING THE ONLINE LEARNER: ACTIVITIES AND
TOOLS TO CREATE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
Rita-Marie Conrad, Ph.D. J. Ana Donaldson, Ed.D. [email protected] [email protected]
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Overview • What to expect
– Pre-recorded session with pauses – Synchronous session
• Session outcomes – Apply the concept of engaged learning – Implement a five-phase model for online student
engagement – Develop new activities to engage your own students
in each phase of the model
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Introductions Rita and Ana
"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."
- Jung
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ICEBREAKER
• Take a few moments to think of an object that represents you or your life at this point in time.
• How might this relate to how you teach, design instruction or learn?
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Today’s Learner
• Generator of knowledge • Member of online community • Co-creator of learning environment • Active participant • A leader
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BUT, Today’s Learner…..
• May not ever been allowed to lead • May not have had positive interactive
learning experiences – Face-to-face, let alone online
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What influences learners? • Think about your own experiences with your
students or even with yourself as a learner. What do you think are the things that most influence learners?
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Today’s faculty
• Becomes motivator and facilitator • Online “coach” and manager • Learning experiences engineer
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BUT, Today’s faculty….. • May not have learned online • Are content experts within a new context
– And perhaps one they didn’t plan on! • May be uncomfortable with the power shift and
loss of control • May ask themselves before moving online “What’s
in it for me?”
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WHY DO YOU DESIGN/ TEACH THE WAY YOU DO?
• Teach /Design the way you learn? • Teach/Design within constraints?
– Time – Classroom set-up – Departmental policies
• Teach the way you were taught? • Design within a set design model?
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Instructional design needs to go beyond constructing a course to creating a learning experience.
- Conrad & Donaldson, 2011
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WHAT IS ENGAGED LEARNING?
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Theorists Behind engagement • Dewey
– Stimulating creative/critical thinking and problem solving
• Bruner, Piaget – Described engaged learning as how
we come to know our world • Knowles
– Learner autonomy and initiative – Experiential learning
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PARADIGM SHIFT (TAPSCOTT, 1998, GROWING UP DIGITAL)
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Linear, sequential/serial Hypermedia Learning
Instruction Construction/discovery
Teacher-centered Learner-centered
Absorbing materials Learning how to learn
School Lifelong
One-size-fits-all Customized
School as torture School as fun
Teacher as transmitter Teacher as facilitator
Inte
ract
ive
Lear
ning
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connectivism • “We live as an integrated experience --- we see,
know, and function in connections. Life, like knowing is not an isolated activity --- it is a rich, interconnected part of who we are.”
• Siemens , 2008
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Social networking
“Only the old people are on Facebook.” -Student leader at a prominent mid-Atlantic
university
Should it be incorporated in the learning process?
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Key Elements of Engagement • Students and Instructors partners in:
– constructing knowledge – answering questions
• Students establish own learning goals • Students work collaboratively with high energy
and high exchange rate… • Appropriate resources explored to answer
meaningful questions • Tasks are multidisciplinary and authentic • Assessment is ongoing/performance-based
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What is your approach to engagement?
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The Phases of Engagement
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(Conrad & Donaldson, 2004, 2011)
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Activity Characteristics
• Has a relevant purpose • Clear directions and assessment criteria • Opportunity for creativity by learner • Multiple paths to the same objective • Incorporates personal reflection • An idea exchange occurs
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Be inspired. Be inspiring. 1. Connect
2. Communicate
3. Collaborate
4. Co-Facilitate
5. Continue Phases of Engagement
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Phase 1 - Connect • Learner - Newcomer • Instructor – Social Negotiator
– Social and orientation-like activities – Establish online presence
• Examples – Icebreakers – Social and Cognitive – Discussions on community issues such as
Netiquette
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Goal: Set the tone • Communicates clear expectations for engagement • Allows practice with technology • Establishes relationship with all learning
environment members
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Phase 2 - Communicate • Learner – Dyad Partner (2 student pairing) • Instructor - Structural Engineer
– Forms dyads or very small groups of learners • Activities require:
– Critical thinking – Reflection – Sharing of ideas
• Examples: – Peer reviews, Problem solving, Case studies
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Goal: Build Confidence • Structured interaction • Easy to follow • Help learners recognize their strengths and build on
them • Provides practice in constructively disagreeing
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Phase 3 - collaborate • Learner – Team Member (3-5 member groups) • Instructor - Facilitator • Activities require small groups to:
– Collaborate – Problem solve – Reflect upon experiences
• Examples: – Content discussions, Role plays
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Goal: Promote Self-Reliance
• Redirecting questions – “What do YOU think?” (Reflection) – “What are you trying to accomplish?” (Goal-
setting) – “What do you think are the weaknesses in that
argument?” (Analysis)
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Active Learning Strategies
• Brainstorming • Role Plays • Simulations • Wikis/Blogs • Mind Maps / Flowcharts
• Case Studies • Round Robins • Projects • K - W - L (already Knew,
still Want to know, Learned)
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Phase 4 – Co-Facilitate • Learner - Initiator of Activity/Partner • Instructor - Community Member/Challenger • Activities
– Learner-designed, Learner-led • Examples:
– Group presentations – Group projects – Learner-facilitated discussions
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Goal: community-driven • Peer leadership of activities
– Peer consultants/experts – Responsibility for course activities – Conferences/Discussions – Assign instructional roles to learners
• Peer assessment – Critiques of non-graded assignments – Assessment of group work
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What Do Learners Need to Lead? • Instructor permission
– Tone of the course • Clear guidelines
– Syllabus, Directions • Learning outcomes • Planning time • Checkpoints
w/instructor
• Supportive Peers – Consequences for
lack of support – Process to evaluate
support • Reason to do it
– Application / relevance to their lives
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Phase 5 – Continue • Learner - Contemplator • Instructor - Supporter • Activities
– Reflective (and applied) • Examples:
– Self-reflections – Evaluation of course engagement – Plans for future engagement
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Goal: Self-engaged learner • Empowered learner
– Increased engagement occurs with diminishing instructor intervention
– Experience influences future engagement – Learner engages in future learning experiences
without instructor prompting
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Think about what activities you are using in your courses. How do they fit into the Phases of Engagement model?
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Determining Quality Assessment
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How do you measure quality and engagement in your classes?
Are you: •Using rubrics to measure performance? •Aligning assessments with instructional objectives? •Using performance evaluations or high-stakes testing?
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Student Engagement Plan * Week
or Unit
Topic or Learning Objective
Activity Description
Phase Assessment Method
Media Tool Selected
Comments
1 Introduction of subject
Icebreaker
1 Non-graded feedback
Discussion area of LMS
Course access; Familiarity with
LMS
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Determine objectives for a unit of instruction
Peer partner discussion
and critique of individually developed
unit objectives
2 Discussion rubric
Email Blog Wiki
textbook received
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* adapted from Boettcher and Conrad, Faculty Guide to Moving Teaching and Learning to the Web, 2nd ed. 2004
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• Reflect on the questions asked of you today… • Be prepared to share your own experiences and
successful activities with the group • Bring a brief statement to the next session with your
definition of engagement • Identify one of your courses and have materials
available to work on in our next session using the Phases of Engagement approach
Preparation for the next session…
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