Category: EDUC 4150

Key Areas of Learning

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Throughtout EDUC 4150 I have learned a lot about online learning and developing online courses. I have summarized the majority of my learning in my Journal # 3 below. I have concluded the the key areas of learning for me where:

  1. Different Generations of Learners: I learned about how different generations of learners engage with online courses differently and have different expectations from a course. I also learned that there are other factors to consider including the students social, racial, and class background.
  2. eLearning vs face to face learning: I learned about the challenges and opportunities within elearning. I researched the best practices and how instructors and learners can approach the challenges.
  3. eLearning Theories: I learned about several learning theories and how they apply to elearning. I focused on connectivism because of its connection to online learning and networks, and I learned about how connectivism can be applied in an online course.
  4. eLearning Tools: I learned about various eLearning Tools and I developed a wiki. I learned how these tools can be used in an online course and found some that are applicable to my courses.
  5. Quality Guidelines: I learned about the benefits of using Quality Guidelines. I researched several different examples of Quality Guidelines and highlighted which ones I would like to replicate for my courses.
  6. ePortfolios: I learned about the significance of using ePortfolios as an assessment tool for learning online. I learned that traditional forms of assessment may not be suitable for online courses such as final exams and midterms. I learned the ePortfolio’s allow instructors to track the students learning progress and provide them a creative and autonomous format to display there skills and interests.
  7. Blogging and Reflecting: Through my own reflections and blogging, I tracked my learning progress and learned the effectiveness of reflecting on what I have learned. From this experience, I learned that the blog and reflections are great tool to refer back on what I have learned and apply it in the future.

Journal #3 Summarizing Your Learning

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Objective Questions: What have you learned about developing an effective online course?

            Throughout this course, I’ve learned a lot about developing effective online courses, and have acquired valuable tools and resources to aid me. I’ve learned to acknowledge the learning processes and styles that each generation of learners have. In “Teaching across Generations” (2014) the author outlined the different characteristics of each generation and provided suggestions for engaging those learners. The author argues that these suggestions can be applied to various generations and types of learners as well.  In addition, I learned about Marc Prensky’s (2001) two categories of learners; “Digital Natives” and Digital Immigrants,” and how these two different learners can create tension in an education environment because Digital Natives process information differently in comparison to Digital Immigrants. By learner about different generations, I learned about the importance of creating a balanced course with tradition and innovative methods such as videos and digital activities, alongside reading and writing. I also learned that the characteristics applied to different generations are not universal. There are many other aspects to consider when planning a course for your learners such as class, race, and geographical location.

            In addition, I also learned about the roles, challenges, and best practices of teaching online. I conducted research and used the tools provided to me to find and create a document that reflected this learning. Throughout my research, I concluded that effective online courses have a sense of community, clearly organized content and structure, student resources, and instructor and student engagement (Boettcher & Conrad, 2016). In order to create these effective courses, I learned about incorporating a variety of tools, resources, and forms of assessment in the course. This included synchronous and asynchronous learning tools and resources, games, and e-portfolios. In addition, combining individual and group projects alongside class discussions to create a sense of community and prevent student isolation. I learned that by using a combination of the tools and methods above students will have a well-rounded course that promotes engagement, reflection, and community. In order to further my understanding of different teaching methods in online learning, I learned about various learning theories and how they can be applied to online courses. In particular, I focused on connectivism because of its incorporation of technology, digital networks, and non-linear learning (“Constructivism”; Siemens, 2005). I learned how connectivism encourages instructors to guide learners by providing them with the tools and resources to successfully make connections between resources and disciplines in order to shift their ways of knowing and construct new ones.

Lastly, I have learned about Quality Guidelines which provide a trackable method for designing, developing, and evaluating an online course. Quality Guidelines are a checklist of requirements (typically broken down into sections) that address various aspects of a course such as assessment, technology, student interaction and support, and accessibility (Quality Online Learning and Teaching Instrument, pg. 1). By reviewing various different guidelines, I have gained the tools for developing my own Quality Guidelines and learned about different ways to evaluate and re-evaluate my courses throughout their development (ECampus Alberta, 2017; Sharif).

Reflective Questions: How does this fit with your experience? What would you like to emulate from your own successful eLearning experiences? What would you like to improve upon so that your own learners have a more positive experience?

            Yes, I have found that the topics covered in this course are applicable to my experience creating courses online. For example, from my own experience, I have found that not following Quality Guidelines will create additional work later on. When I took my position in elearning, I was working with existing online content that did not follow any quality guidelines. This required me to update and re-evaluate the courses many times. I have found that I learned a great deal about what to include in an online course in terms of content, activities, and assessments. I learned about some projects and tools that are applicable to my courses such as e-portfolios, incorporating videos, and how to integrate group projects and discussion into a course. I would like to speak to my IT team to see if we can develop an e-portfolio option into our LMS. In addition, I would like to improve the instances of personalized learning, interactive content, and self-reflection throughout our courses. I feel that adding this content to my course will improve student engagement and success.

            As a long-term goal, I would like to emulate the Quality Guidelines from the “Quality Guidelines Teaching Instrument.” I would like to use those to further develop our Quality Guidelines and work towards adding more student resources, greater instances of accessibility, and increase the quality of the technology we use in our courses such as incorporating virtual reality or game-based learning.

Interpretive Questions: What new insights do you now have? How has your thinking changed around creating effective online courses after taking EDUC 4150?

            I now have a better insight into the complexity of developing an online course and the variety of factors that go into it such as different types of learners, student and instructor experience, and how learning theories are applied online. I also have a broader understanding of different learning theories and how they can be practically and theoretically applied to an online course. By learning about different learning theories, I have expanded the way I think about delivering courses online. For example, I have been thinking about how to integrate the principles of connectivism into my courses such as non-linear learning, interdisciplinary learning, and human and non-human learning (Siemens, 2005). With connectivism in mind, I learned that navigating digital networks and learning how to work with technology and all the information that comes with it, is an essential part of being a successful learner and educator in 2019.

            My thinking around assessments has also changed. We’ve been trying to work with content from on-ground courses that are primarily assessed by projects and exams. As I develop these courses and do more reading on e-portfolios and other online assessments, I have found that the on-ground assessment format will not be suitable for our online learners. From my research, I learned the importance of giving online learners flexibility and autonomy in their learning, and feel that digital projects and e-portfolios are more suitable compared to final exams (Pelliccione & Dixone, 2008). In addition, I have more insight into how to create a course that is suitable for a variety of learners including learners from various generations or backgrounds. I gained information on how to combine different modes of delivery to engage every learner and help them feel comfortable in an online environment.

            Lastly, I have gained insights into the best practices for teaching online and various quality guidelines. The project on the challenges and opportunities in e-learning was especially insightful as it encouraged me to do a lot of external research and create a document that I can share with future instructors and educators. It has provided me with a tool that I can use and refer to on a regular basis.

Decisional Questions: How can this new learning be applied in your online course?

            There are several ways that I am going to apply this learning to my online courses. The first is I am going to work on developing and editing our Quality Guidelines. I plan on paying particular attention to the course format and design, accessibility, and student interaction. I want to keep all levels of experience in mind including instructors, students, and administrators. In addition,  I would like to gather feedback from our students on their experience with the course; paying close attention to the students’ age and background so I can see what our learners need in terms of resources and course content (more interactivity, more synchronous activities, etc.).  I plan on working further with our IT team to enhance the aesthetics of our LMS in order to improve course clarity and organization. I also plan on working with our curriculum developer to put together revised course outlines that follow different methods of assessment for our courses. This includes incorporating more projects and potentially an e-portfolio or blog aspect to the courses rather than heavily weighted final exams and midterms.

Reference List:

Boettcher, J.V., & Conrad, R (2016). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

ECampus Alberta. (2017). Essential Quality Standards 2.0. Retrieved from http://library.athabascau.ca/files/projects/ecampusalberta/quality/eCampusAlberta_QualityEQS2.0_Brochure_2017_FINAL.pdf

Marmon, M. (2018). Enhancing social presence in online learning environments / Michael Marmon, editor.

Pelliccione l., Dixone, K. (2008) Portfolios: Beyond assessment to empowerment in the learning landscape. Conference proceedings Ascilite 2008. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ascilite.org/conferences/melbourne08/procs/pelliccione.pdf

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. 

Quality Online Learning and Teaching (QOLT) Instrument. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxN4M6qCVbDPOEl0d1dKWmFXOEk/view?pli=1

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article01.htm

Sharif, A. (n.d.). Online/Blended Learning Course Quality Checklist. Retrieved July 25, 2019, from https://wiki.ubc.ca/images/1/1b/OnlineQualityCheckList_SiteJuly27.pdf

Teaching Across Generations – Part II. (2014, August 12). Retrieved from https://uminntilt.com/2014/07/14/teaching-across-generations-part-ii/

Yilmaz, R. (2017). Exploring the Role of E-Learning Readiness on Student Satisfaction and Motivation in Flipped Classroom. Computers in Human Behavior., 70(C), 251-260.

Journal #2: Quality Guidelines

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Objective Questions: What have you learned about the importance of following quality guidelines when developing an online course? What potential exists if you don’t use a set of quality guidelines? How can you ensure that your online course meets the needs of your learners when developing your own quality checklist?

            I have learned that Quality Guidelines provide a framework for designing and developing an online course. They provide a basis for creating a cohesive course or set of courses by setting out a checklist of requirements that can be reviewed throughout the development of a course and upon the final proof-read. By creating or using existing Quality Guidelines instructors and course designers have a trackable method for evaluating course content, structure, and delivery. Quality Guidelines are often based on academic research, and peer and student feedback. The majority of published Quality Guidelines follow a similar structure in that they are divided into sections. For example, the “Quality Online Learning and Teaching Instrument” divided its Guidelines into the following sections;

  1. Course Overview and Introduction
  2. Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning
  3. Student Interaction and Community
  4. Facilitation and Instruction
  5. Technology for Teaching and Learning
  6. Learner Support and Resources
  7. Accessibility and Universal Design
  8. Course Summary and Wrap-Up
  9. Mobile Design Readiness (pg.1)

This set of guidelines provides a very comprehensive list of sections that cover various aspects of online course development including increasingly popular topics including accessibility and universal design, mobile design readiness, and technology for learning. While some lists may not cover as comprehensive a list of sections due to economical or technological restrictions, the “Quality Online Learning and Teaching Instrument” provides a strong basis for selecting appropriate quality guidelines for online courses. By reviewing these and other quality guidelines, I have learned about various methods for tracking, reviewing, and building online courses (ECampus Alberta, 2017; Sharif).

     In my research, I also learned that there are different dimensions to quality from various perspectives (see figure 1). This includes parents, teachers, administrators, and students. A study found that between these groups the most common quality criteria was course “course content, design and structure, different types of support, teaching and learning processes, and evaluation and assessment. The differences are mostly in the grouping of the criteria associated with these aspects” (Esfijani, 2019, pg. 69).

Figure 1. Multiple Dimensions of Quality Online Education (Esfijani, 2019, pg. 59).                    

I have found that if you do not follow a set of Quality Guidelines the potential for creating a course with incohesive content, poor student engagement and success, and unsuccessful technology is much greater. Students may already be engaging in a new format (online) and thus, the importance of having an organized and clearly communicated course is essential (Marmon, 2018).  If a course does not follow a set of guidelines that address all aspects of a course the course can have the following issues;

  1. Students can get lost or confused.
  2. Links and external websites may not work, and there may be other technological malfunctions.
  3. Missed course components such as materials, resources etc.
  4. Low student completion; low student grades.
  5. Student Isolation
  6. Unclear learning outcomes and course objectives
  7. Poor student learning assessment tools and strategies
  8. Inaccessible for students

In order to address these potential issues, Quality Guidelines that are suited towards your students and online software, are essential. In order to meet my student’s needs in my Quality Guidelines, I will be gathering research on various Quality Guidelines from other institutions and researchers. In particular, I will be looking at guidelines from institutions and courses in my field and demographic location. I will also be creating an online survey in each of my online courses to generate student feedback so I can develop and improve my courses and guidelines. I will also be using my own experience as an online learner to improve and write my guidelines. I also want to set a series of goals for my online courses including mobile readiness and accessibility such as looking at developing courses content that accessible for non-visual and non-hearing learners.

Reflective Questions: How does this fit with your experience? What successes and/or frustrations have you experienced in your elearning that may have been attributed to following (or not following) quality guidelines?

            I feel like the above reflects my experience. I started building online courses in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, and had to “learn as I went.” I had had experience with platforms such as Canvas and had taken a course in Moodle but I had not used the specific Moodle platform that my company uses. From the beginning, I think it would have been useful to start with some specific Quality Guidelines because I found I had to go back and update courses as I learned and tested.

That being said, peer review remains an important part of my course development. My team and I ran a few test courses with colleagues and the generated from those tests informed our Quality Guidelines and course structure, along with the expertise of my team and the research we did. By continually reviewing and updating the initial courses we created, I gained perspective on how to structure and format things and learned how a well-structured course aids with assessment and communicating within it.  In addition, having a peer review was essential as there were somethings that made sense to me but not to my colleagues, especially design and flow details. Following a set of Quality Guidelines has helped create a consistent flow and student experience in the course and has ensured that the courses work from an instructor and student perspective. It has also helped me gain perspective on where our resources need to go in terms of course improvement. I would like to put more resources into technology, student engagement, and accessibility.

I do find that you have to keep checking and going through the Quality Guidelines multiple times throughout a course. I have found that sometimes overtime a resource or external link will stop working, or a Moodle update will change some of the formattings of our courses. Lastly, I feel that there is always room for improvement and that Quality Guidelines can help guide you there.

Interpretive Questions: What does this new learning mean to you? What new insights do you now have? How has your thinking changed because of this learning?

            Learning about Quality Guidelines have been very informative; it has shown my areas of concern in my courses such as improving the clarity of the content, structure, and assessments. It has also shown me where I and my institutions need to put our resources. I feel that after reading and researching Quality Guidelines we need to put more resources into developing engaging content, accessible resources, and make improvements to our Moodle platform. It has also shown me that many of the Quality Guidelines follow similar concerns/topics but are catered to the individual or institution’s needs. I am confident that I can adjust the Quality Guidelines to suit my names. It has also taught me that Quality Guidelines need to be continually updated as technology and learning theories change, and as I gather student feedback.

            Throughout this research my thinking has changed, I have realized that there are more areas to address in a course than I originally came up with. I’ve learned that Quality Guidelines work best when they are organized appropriately and have clear points.  I have also learned that I need to go through the Guidelines multiple times throughout a course and that the practical, “how it will work” is more important than the theory of how it will work. As a result, tests and trials are required. Lastly, I also learned that Quality Guidelines are dynamic, as I build a course and use it, things will change and the course will need to be updated and thus, it is important to remember that a course is not static in design or content.

Decisional Questions: How can this new learning be applied in your online course?

                The first way I am going to apply it is by updating and revising our Quality Guidelines; I am going to expand on the sections including assessment, accessibility, technology, and teaching and learner resources. I am also going to build a course survey in order to gather student feedback and data so we can continue to update our courses. I also want to build a timeline for investing and redeveloping existing courses in order to match our quality guidelines and follow some of the innovative topics I found in other Quality Guidelines. In addition, I want to rethink how Quality Guidelines are divided for different users including instructors, administrators, and curriculum developers. I feel that the individuals in each of these roles have different needs when it comes to working with, using, and developing a course. I would also like to gather their feedback as well. Lastly, I’ve wanted to make a plan to revisit our Quality Guidelines often, in order to look for gaps, improvements, and other adjustments.

Reference List:

Boettcher, J.V., & Conrad, R (2016). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

ECampus Alberta. (2017). Essential Quality Standards 2.0. Retrieved from http://library.athabascau.ca/files/projects/ecampusalberta/quality/eCampusAlberta_QualityEQS2.0_Brochure_2017_FINAL.pdf

Esfijani, A. (2018). Measuring Quality in Online Education: A Meta-synthesis. American Journal of Distance Education, 32(1), 57-73.

Marmon, M. (2018). Enhancing social presence in online learning environments / Michael Marmon, editor.

Quality Online Learning and Teaching (QOLT) Instrument. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxN4M6qCVbDPOEl0d1dKWmFXOEk/view?pli=1

Sharif, A. (n.d.). Online/Blended Learning Course Quality Checklist. Retrieved July 25, 2019, from https://wiki.ubc.ca/images/1/1b/OnlineQualityCheckList_SiteJuly27.pdf

Yilmaz, R. (2017). Exploring the Role of E-Learning Readiness on Student Satisfaction and Motivation in Flipped Classroom. Computers in Human Behavior., 70(C), 251-260.

Quality Guidelines

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  1. Courses are easy to navigate and there is a clear structure to the course.
  2. The course has activities that engage the learner such as a discussion component or interactive links/videos.
  3. Communication strategies are clearly laid out. The learner knows how to communicate with the instructor and when to expect a response.
  4. The course learning outcomes are clear and attainable. There is sufficient content and resources to achieve the learning outcomes.
  5. Course materials are accessible. All the e-books, links and external components work.

Quality Guideline Links

Click to access CanREGs%20Eng.pdf

Click to access facultycenter_OCAT_v2.0_25apr07.pdf

Click to access eCampusAlberta_QualityEQS2.0_Brochure_2017_FINAL.pdf

Click to access OnlineQualityCheckList_SiteJuly27.pdf

https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/tls/content/online-course-quality-checklist-ocqc

Click to access Online-Course-Guidelines-Checklist-DRAFT-2016.pdf

https://it.cornell.edu/document/online-course-quality-checklist-0

Quality Online Learning and Teaching (QOLT) Instrument. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxN4M6qCVbDPOEl0d1dKWmFXOEk/view?pli=1

E-Portfolio

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Summary

E-Portfolio’s proved a dynamic and unique method for student assessment. They are typically a mini website or web page dedicated to the student’s courses or areas of research. E-Portfolio’s contain a variety of artifacts such as academic reflections and responses, compiled research, multimedia and academic resources. They allow the student to effectively organize all of their research and responses in one place that is both portable and accessible to people they share it with. E-Portfolio’s can be password protected or public, making it an easy and remote way to share assignments and research with instructors and other academic professionals.

Unlike, a heavily waited end of course exam E-Portfolios provide a way to assess student learning throughout the duration of a course or program. Student’s often contribute to their E-Portfolio on a regular basis through reading reflections, research compilation, and other writing assignments. This gives students the opportunity to “record their own progress, self-assess against learning outcomes, and reflect..on their development over time (Pelliccione & Dixone, 2008, pg.751). It also gives instructors the opportunity to see how a student has grown and developed over time, and provides a linear documentation that can be assessed. Rather than only seeing the outcome (like in a final exam) instructors can see the journey; they can observe student development.

E-Portfolio’s are also a great professional tool. They can take on the form of a active documentation of a students academic research and can be used as reference for potential employers or when a student is applying for a grant for academic research.

They are also creative, the allow the student to curate the information they find and integrate it with their own writing. E-Portfolio’s can also host a variety of media including videos, external links, photos or diagrams. this gives students the opportunity to express their learning in various formats. Overall, E-Portflio’s are a great assessment tool and benefit the learners professional and personal growth.

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My Learners

E-Portfolio’s would be a great way to assess my learners. Since, I primarily work in the humanities and creative arts, end of course examinations do not typically encompass student development. E-Portfolio’s would give my learners the opportunity to develop their own writing and engagement with academic text, reflect on their own artworks or writing pieces, and give them a creative outlet to do so.

They could also provide a way to engage in peer-assessment. Students can share pieces of their E-Portfolio with other students to get feedback on their research and projects.

My learner’s engagment with the readings is crucial and providing a way for students to respond to a reading is important. An E-Portfolio would give them a way to compile their responses and also look back on how their understanding of a text(s) may have changed over time.

It can also function as a professional tool for my students. They can include images of artworks and written pieces, that can be useful hen applying for grants or professional opportunities.

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My E-Portfolio

Developing an E-Portfolio would be a useful tool for my personal and professional development. I could use it to compile my research in an organized and portable place. An E-Portfolio can be way to showcase my research and my responses to other academic theories/ideas.

I also often find resources on the go and don’t always have the time to read them right away, I could create a place in my portfolio for these resources. It can also be a pace where I put my responses to a reading or essay, even a review of a book or paper, or experts from my own research.

In addition to professional reasons, I could include teaching resources on my portfolio. This could include my own writing, found articles and videos, and other resources.

Pelliccione l., Dixone, K. (2008) Portfolios: Beyond assessment to empowerment in the learning landscape. Conference proceedings Ascilite 2008. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ascilite.org/conferences/melbourne08/procs/pelliccione.pdf

Kahn, Susan (2014, Winter).  E-Portfolios: A Look at Where We’ve Been, Where We Are Now, and Where We’re (Possibly) Going.  Peer Review, 16/1, p. 4-7. 

https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/eportfolios

https://teaching.berkeley.edu/resources/assessment-and-evaluation/design-assessment/e-portfolio

Learning Theories

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Behaviourism, Constructivism, Cognitivism, Humanism, Connectivism

Throughout my research into the various learning theories above, I learned that each theory argues for a different instructor and learner roles. The two that stood out to me where constructivism and connectivism. Constructivism argues that humans acquire knowledge from their experiences whereas connectivism argues that technology has created non-linear learning and that this learning can be used for the learners benefit (“Constructivism”; Siemens, 2005).

I feel that both are applicable for online learning. Constructivism encourages problem-solving, peer-to-peer group work, and instructor facilitation. In an online learning environment, all of these aspects are important for a successful course. As an instructor’s role in an online course is to mentor and facilitate learning and thus they are not always readily available the importance of peer work and problem solving is significant (textbook, 2017). Through the lens of constructivism learner’s can work with their peers through online discussions and group projects, share their experiences, and learn together.

I teach contemporary art and art history, so peer to peer discussion is crucial. This includes discussing and interpreting artwork, and critiquing one peers artwork. Right now, I am building visual art online courses and the majority of my students will Generation Y and Z. Most of them will be 1st year students and thus, feeling and building a sense of community online will be important to their learning experience. I feel the connectivism supports a peer-to-peer learning experience and I plan on incorporating tools such as the Mural Brainstorming tool and other collobarative resources to encourage peer learning.

Constructivism is also a useful theory for online learning because it incorporates the learners experience with technology and maximizes. The majority of my learners have used the internet to “self-teach” and connectisvism provides method for using their desire to use the internet to learn while encouraging them how to find accurate information and make multidisciplinary connections with it (Giesbrecht, 2017). Learning how to find and use information online can help them build both their technical art skills (drawing, painting, Photoshop etc) and their theoretical skills as research is a pivotal aspect of contemporary art.

Connectivism also focuses on creating networks including using social media etc. When learning of art and visual learning, social media plays a key role in today’s environment (Goldie, 2016). Learners are continually viewing images and taking information from and it is my role as the instructor to show them how to read and understand images. In addition, to know what they may be trying to communicate or how they may try to manipulate the viewer.

Connectivism encourages the instructor to curate and guide the learners through their knowledge and connection forming experience. As an instructor, I can use visual networks to create research activities and encourage students to use this research to communicate their own visual message. Learners can then put their creation back into a visual network and see how new connections may form. These visual networks could be youtube, instagram, VSCO, flickr etc.

Construcvism and Connectivism both support my learners online and provide different methods for expanding my learners knowledge and learning network. I feel that both are useful in different ways, and in some cases compliment each other.

References

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2016). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Constructivism. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/learning_teaching/ict/theory/constructivism.shtml

Giesbrecht, N. (2017, June). Connectivism: Teaching and Learning (E. Van Dusen & P. Pichette, Eds.). Retrieved from http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Connectivism:_Teaching_and_Learning

Goldie, J. (2016). Connectivism: A knowledge learning theory for the digital age? Medical Teacher,38(10), 1064-1069. Retrieved from http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/118043/9/118043.pdf

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism:A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article01.htm

Journal #1: Generations of Learners

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What do you know about these generations that will be important to consider in designing your course? What possibilities exist with making assumptions about our learners and their learning needs? How can you overcome some of these potential challenges?

Objective Questions: What have you learned about working with different generations of learners in an online forum?

            Throughout the assigned videos and readings, and my own research I have found that designing successful courses online for multiple generations requires a variety of different styles, tools, and methods of engagement in order to guide learners through a course. In scholar  Michael Marmon’s (2018) research on social presence in online learning, he highlights the importance of creating online course that are well structured and organized because he found that online students are often challenged by both the content of the course and the “fundamental skills that support learning in an [online environment]” (p.69). This is especially relevant for generations that are “Digital Immigrants” as outlined by Marc Prensky’s (2001) two categories of learners; which is informed by generations different exposures to technology throughout their lifetime. He described the two as “Digital Natives” and Digital Immigrants,” Digital Natives are the Net-Generation or those who have grown up in the digital world whereas, Digital Immigrants are those who were exposed to the digital world later such as the Silent Generation, Babyboomers, or Generation X. Prensky’s research shows that many of the Digital Immigrants are teaching Digital Natives and as a result, the technology gap causes some tension in the learning environment because “today’s students think and process information differently” (p.1).  He argued for a teaching methodology that incorporates “legacy content” such as traditional learning methods (reading, writing, lectures) with “future content” such technology, robotics and the politics associated with them (p.1). Together, he proposed that this method creates an environment where intergenerational teachers and students can be successful as both learner and instructor.

Caroline Koh’s (2015) research on teaching the net-generation and 21st-century learner’s, provides methods for teaching them and she suggested motivating students with virtual labs that provide instant feedback and interactions with peers and instructors. Alongside a variety of embedded resources such as online tools, forums, and documents. Some of these methods are echoed in research on teaching different generations (“Teaching across Generations,” 2014)  where the author outlines the characteristics given to each generation and proposes both suggestions for each generation and suggested strategies for all students (figure 1).

                                 Figure 1

The authors argue that creating a variety of learning practices will appeal to all generations of learners in addition to acknowledging that the characteristic placed on learners in each generation may be biased. The author asks us to question the validity of these generation labels because of their bases on specific class, racial and social background. Therefore, working with different generation online requires insight into their generations exposure to technology, generation-specific characteristics as well as an awareness of different global and local backgrounds.

Reflective Questions: How does this fit with your experience? What has your own learning been like related to interacting and learning with different generations?

    In my experience as an instructor, I worked primarily with students from the “Y” and “Z” generations.  And as a late millennial, near the border of Gen Z, I recognized and empathized with the descriptions of the millennial and Gen Z characteristics. Like White’s (2015) description of them, I grew up in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, have been conditioned to believe that you need a University degree to get in the door, and was raised with technology at an early age. I grew up with myspace then facebook and Instagram, and find that social media plays a large role in my life and education. I found as an instructor that I could use my knowledge of technology and social media to engage students but, also that students would constantly be challenging me with new resources that I was not aware of. However, another challenge has been teaching students from different countries who have experience with different learning styles and expectations. For example, some of my students from other countries feared failure more than others or struggled with assignments centered on critical thinking. In addition, some students were more comfortable engaging in peer discussion whereas as other preferred solitary work. This experience showed by the importance of being aware of intergenerational and international classrooms as “Teaching Across Generations” touched on.

 In developing an online and taking online courses, I have found that I have a high expectation with the level of technology and the design and structure of a course. And I feel that the upcoming generations hold these expectations as well. In Liam Morgan’s research on Y learners, he found that “One of the most consistent themes to emerge from the diaries was the students heightened awareness of what was available in terms of ICT and multimedia and being able to make judgments about their effectiveness (p.167). I also find that while technology may be a learner curve for some learners, well-designed courses and web-tools are usually user-friendly and made to be quite clear for many different types of users. Therefore, while some online tools may not be accessible for everyone, I do find that the ease of design helps everybody. When I took an online course, I found that the instructor was hands-out and did not take the time to check-in or introduce themselves to the students. There was also no peer-to-peer interaction that Marmon (2018) argues is vital in an online course. However, they aren’t as easy to incorporate and teach other generations and types of learners. It is not accessible for everyone, however, I do find that the ease of design helps for everybody.

            Working with other generations have been very rewarding for me and I have found that I get along with baby boomers (as the Tammy Erickson [2008] described). I find that there mutual learning that happens when working with baby boomers and Gen-Xers. I teach them about some of the latest resources and they guide me on navigating the workplace. As a student, being taught by digital immigrants I found that my instructors often used traditional learning sources which is what I grew up on and am comfortable with. However, I found that there is a need to engage other learning methods because of the various new ways people in the millennial and z generation are learning to learn, and are teaching themselves to learn (gaming, online resources/courses, etc). 

Interpretive Questions: What does this new learning mean to you? What new insights do you now have? How has your thinking changed because of this learning?

From all of the readings, I learned that when designing an online platform it has to incorporate learning methods that are accessible to all generations as well as people with different learning styles. In order to do this, I will need to incorporate tools that are user-friendly, encourage peer engagement, and are interactive.  This challenged me to think about how I can successfully create an online course that incorporates different tools while still making it easy to navigate through all the content in clear and concise delivery. As Marmon (2018) pointed out, students will be challenged by both the course content and for many of them the online platform.

Some of the articles reminded me of my own experience working with inter-generation and international students, and the different content delivery they may be accustomed too and the learning hurdles they may have.  I have new insights on how digital immigrants or natives can incorporate legacy and future content, that appeals to both of their learning needs as well as instructors teaching needs. Lastly, the readings changed how I think about peer-to-peer interactions online. They showed the importance of it and the importance of creating intentional spaces for these interactions online.

Decisional Questions: How can this new learning be applied in your online course?

    In order to minimize the learning curve for all generations, I am going to focus on developing the course layout to create courses that are easy to navigate and intuitive. I am also going to incorporate multiple web tools with diverse uses such as video chats, quizzes, and games. I will do this to appeal to the learning styles and comfort levels of various generations and learning styles. Lastly, I will incorporate social engagement through forums to encourage peer communication and give the students a sense of community. I will also try to incorporate a peer project which will encourage students to work together and also share their experience taking an online course and any challenges they may have.

Reference List:

Koh, C. (2015). Motivation, Leadership and Curriculum design Engaging the Net Generation and 21st Century Learners / edited by Caroline Koh.

Managing Generation Y with Tammy Erickson. (2008, May 27). Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rDAdaaupMno

Marmon, M. (2018). Enhancing social presence in online learning environments / Michael Marmon, editor.

Morgan, Liam. (2012). Generation Y, Learner Autonomy and the Potential of Web 2.0 Tools for Language Learning and Teaching. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 29(3), 166-Wide Information Systems, 2012, Vol.29(3), p.166-176.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. 

Teaching Across Generations – Part II. (2014, August 12). Retrieved from https://uminntilt.com/2014/07/14/teaching-across-generations-part-ii/

White, S. (2015, May). The Generation Z effect. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/canadian-university-report/the-genz-effect/article26898388/

Best Practices for Teaching Online

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From The Online Teaching Survival Guide by Judith V. Boettcher and Rita-Marie Conrad.

1: Be Present at Your Course

  • Do an initial check-in with each student and follow-up as needed.
  • host digital “office hours.”

2: Create a Supportive Online Course Community

  • create a discussion forum for students to share their questions, thoughts, and discoveries.
  • host a live lecture or discussion session (zoom, skype etc.)
  • learning partner

3: Develop a Set of Explicit Workload and Communication Expectations for Your Learners and Yourself.

  • create an orientation video or interactive document that goes over communication and course expectations.
  • cover this in initial check-in.

4: Use a Variety of Large Group, Small Group, and Individual Work Experiences

  • Individual; journal reflections – course content, readings etc.
  • Small Group; a paired project or assignment, for a marketing course this could be a social media campaign (or something creative).
  • Large group; discussions, live sessions with group questions. Big Blue Button allows you to do break-out sessions with 2-5 people per group.

5: Use Synchronous and Asynchronous Activities

  • Asynchronous; discussions forums, quizzes, journal reflections, course content, recorded videos.
  • Synchronous; group brainstorming (live break-out sessions, mural brainstorming tool, live mini presentations.

6: Ask for Informal Feedback Early in the Term

  • quick part-way survey or discussion post (pros, cons, challenges etc.)

7: Prepare Discussion Posts that Invite Responses, Questions, Discussions, and Reflections

  • encourage reflection and critical responses to readings
  • create room for debate
  • ask students to relate topic to their experience(s)

8: Think Digital for All Course Content

  • Transition static documents to an interactive format (glossary, audio and video resources.
  • Build games, encourage discussions, make videos.

9: Combine Core Concept Learning with Customized and Personal Learning

  • flexible and creative projects. This could be a website, online portfolio, social media campaign or site.
  • options for mixed media – video, website, text.
  • combine traditional and innovative learning delivery.

10: Plan a Good Closing and Wrap Activity for the Course

  • present or share creative project.

Additional Best Practices:

11: Assess as You Go by Gathering Evidences of Learning

12: Rigorously Connect Content to Core Concepts and Learning Outcomes

13: Develop and Use a Content Frame for the Course

14: Design Experiences to Help Learners Make Progress on Their Novice-to-Expert Journey

elearning vs. f2f reflection

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What are the challenges for you as an online student?

Some of the challenges for me as an online student is maintaining motivation and time management. I find that seeing all of the course content can be a bit overwhelming at first. The other challenge is not being able to ask questions immediately about assignments etc. I also find it hard to decide which discussion comment to engage with – there are so many!

How are you going to deal with these challenges?

I’ve created a schedule/outline of my goal completion dates for each module. I also went through all of the assignments and printed off hard copies so I can refer to them and start planning for each one. In terms of asking questions, I’ve been asking peers, or looking through the forums, and course material for the answer. So far it has been successful! For my discussion responses I’ve decided to be selective and select a few to read and one or two to respond to so I don’t get overwhelmed by all the content.

What has been your most important learning to date?

My most important learning to date is learning about effective ways to interact with students online and immerse them into the course content. It has also been to reflect on the barriers that may restrict students access to online courses and thinking about how they can be made more accessible for everybody (no matter what class, race, or age).

Engaging Learners Online

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One of the challenges I am facing while developing online courses is how to engage and educate learners effectively. Online learning can be a transition for both the educator and student – throughout my certificate in eLearning there are some specific learning strategies I’d like to build on:

1-effective ways to engage learners and educators.

2- course layout and structuring options that limit distractions/confusion.

3- innovative ways to deliver content.