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Some potentially useful resources
Planning:
Benjamin S. Bloom. Taxonomy of educational objectives.
Published by Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA. Copyright (c) 1984 by Pearson Education.
Meredith College’s application of Bloom’s Taxonomy to the design of learning objectives: http://www.meredith.edu/rpa/sourcebook/bloomstaxonomy.htm∞
(retrieved July 10th, 2007).
San Diego State University's Encyclopedia of Educational Technology: http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/∞ Search for Bloom's Taxonomy: revised.
Greenlaw, S. A. and DeLoach, S. B. (2003). Teaching Critical Thinking with Electronic Discussion.
http://www.indiana.edu/~econed/pdffiles/winter03/greenlaw.pdf∞
(retrieved July 10th, 2007).
San Diego State University's Encyclopedia of Educational Technology: http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/∞ Search for Bloom's Taxonomy: revised.
Greenlaw, S. A. and DeLoach, S. B. (2003). Teaching Critical Thinking with Electronic Discussion.
http://www.indiana.edu/~econed/pdffiles/winter03/greenlaw.pdf∞
Park University's Faculty Resources for Writing Quality Learning Objectives http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/writinglearningobj.html∞ (retrieved January 9th, 2008)
Discussion Question Design:
Akin,L., Neal, D. (2007). Crest+ Model: Writing Effective Discussion Questions. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching: http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no2/akin.htm∞ (retrieved Jan. 10th, 2008).
Role of the online moderator:
Zane Berge∞'s contribution. 4 roles: pedagogical, managerial, technical and social
Rourke, L., D.R., Anderson, T., Garrison, D.R., and Archer, W. Assessing Social Presence in Asyncronous Text-based Computer Conferencing. Journal Of Distance Education ,2001: http://cade.athabascau.ca/vol14.2/rourke_et_al.html∞ (accessed Jan. 9, 2008)
Rourke, L., D.R., Anderson, T., Garrison, D.R., and Archer, W. Assessing Social Presence in Asyncronous Text-based Computer Conferencing. Journal Of Distance Education ,2001: http://cade.athabascau.ca/vol14.2/rourke_et_al.html∞ (accessed Jan. 9, 2008)
Facilitation:
Feenberg and Xin's Facilitation Guidelines∞
Three Principles of Effective Online Pedagogy∞ (Bill Pelz - Sloan-C Effective Practice). Excellent description of how online discussion can really be integrated into the fabric of a course.
Very basic discussion tips: tips for facilitating online discussions.∞
Less basic discussion tips: http://scienceonline.terc.edu/facilitating_online_learning.html∞. Though these are designed for science educator's, they are applicable across contexts and some of the best guidelines I've found! (Gail Matthews-De Natale and Sue Doubler)
Three Principles of Effective Online Pedagogy∞ (Bill Pelz - Sloan-C Effective Practice). Excellent description of how online discussion can really be integrated into the fabric of a course.
Very basic discussion tips: tips for facilitating online discussions.∞
Less basic discussion tips: http://scienceonline.terc.edu/facilitating_online_learning.html∞. Though these are designed for science educator's, they are applicable across contexts and some of the best guidelines I've found! (Gail Matthews-De Natale and Sue Doubler)
Assessment:
Western Washington University's Center for Instructional Innovation∞. Well worth a look at their definition (and examples) of learner centered assessment approaches.
Making The Grade: the Role of Assessment in Authentic Learning (2008)∞. A new resource and an excellent follow up to some thinking about the value in identifying learning objectives and assessment methods and making these clear to learners.
Making The Grade: the Role of Assessment in Authentic Learning (2008)∞. A new resource and an excellent follow up to some thinking about the value in identifying learning objectives and assessment methods and making these clear to learners.
Rubrics:
a useful rubric∞ to share with students about how their discussion posts will be evaluation by both peers and instructor.
Another example from Mercy College∞ (posted in SLOAN-C's Effective Practices) and term papers∞.
Sloan-C: Frank McClusky’s Discussion Grading Rubric: http://www.sloan-c.org/effective/details3.asp?LE_ID=18∞
Cal State University: http://www.csulb.edu/lats/itss/design/discussionrubric.html∞
OLT's list∞ of a few more
Another example from Mercy College∞ (posted in SLOAN-C's Effective Practices) and term papers∞.
Sloan-C: Frank McClusky’s Discussion Grading Rubric: http://www.sloan-c.org/effective/details3.asp?LE_ID=18∞
Cal State University: http://www.csulb.edu/lats/itss/design/discussionrubric.html∞
OLT's list∞ of a few more
Online collection of PBL resources:
An interesting case study from the IRRODL journal related to PBL using online delivery - PBL Online∞
Issues:
J. Freedman and M. Anderson. Lurking: A Valid Learning Style? Magna Publications’ Online Classroom: July 2007 Issue.
Large Classes University of Maryland University College: Tips for Managing Larger Online Classes: http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/classroom-management/tips-for-managing-larger-online-classes.html∞
Large Classes University of Maryland University College: Tips for Managing Larger Online Classes: http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/classroom-management/tips-for-managing-larger-online-classes.html∞
Course examples at WWU from their Learning Outcomes Project.∞ A thorough description of their process in evaluating two different courses and putting learner centered assessment methods into practice.
9 basic guidelines that provide the link between traditional and online facilitation (Rogers, 1969; Adesso, 2000)
1. The facilitator is largely responsible for setting the initial mood or climate of the program.
2. Helps to elicit and clarify the purposes of the individuals in the class as well as the more general purposes of the group.
3. Relies upon the desire of each student to implement those purposes which have meaning to him or her as the motivational force behind significant learning.
4. Endeavours to organize and make easily available the widest possible range of resources for learning.
5. Regards himself or herself as a flexible resource to be utilized by the group.
6. As the classroom climate becomes established, the facilitator is increasingly able to become a participant learner, a member of the group, expressing his or her views as an individual.
7. Takes the initiative in sharing with the group--in ways which neither demand nor impose, but represent simply a personal sharing which the student may take or leave.
8. Throughout the course, the faciliator remains alert to expressions indicative of deep or strong feelings.
9. Endeavours to recognise and accept his or her own limitations as a facilitator and learner.
2. Helps to elicit and clarify the purposes of the individuals in the class as well as the more general purposes of the group.
3. Relies upon the desire of each student to implement those purposes which have meaning to him or her as the motivational force behind significant learning.
4. Endeavours to organize and make easily available the widest possible range of resources for learning.
5. Regards himself or herself as a flexible resource to be utilized by the group.
6. As the classroom climate becomes established, the facilitator is increasingly able to become a participant learner, a member of the group, expressing his or her views as an individual.
7. Takes the initiative in sharing with the group--in ways which neither demand nor impose, but represent simply a personal sharing which the student may take or leave.
8. Throughout the course, the faciliator remains alert to expressions indicative of deep or strong feelings.
9. Endeavours to recognise and accept his or her own limitations as a facilitator and learner.
Online Classroom Newsletter
The Sept. 2005 edition has some good information about facilitating online discussion. Register for your free subscription∞ Enter the hosting∞ voucher number UBC and PIN number 0302 when prompted (see also research papers∞). Once you are registered, you can view the Sept edition at: http://www.magnapubs.com/pub/magnapubs_oc/5_9/news/597929-1.html∞
Online discussion: collective thoughts
1. How is discussion used?
Best Practice: Discussion should be integrated with the course content and implemented in such a way as to help learners meet course objectives. Learners should know why they are participating in discussion and what they are expected to learn.
- as a tool for approaching real problems and asking students to draw conclusions from it
- to share lines of thought, data given then just need to think
- conduit for exchange of information
- turns online space into more of a social space
- depends--learning aid, course complement, have to take part in the discussion eg. required number of posts, discussion as an assessed part of course
- challenge of assessment, why do it?
- assessment and what that implies--eg. should it be assessed? should it take place only in WebCT?
- PBL--need to measure amount of discussion since is an important part of "product"
- importance of a space where students interact
2. interaction
Best Practice: Encourage meaningful interaction and deeper learning through use of socratic questioning techniques∞ and Bloom's Taxonomy∞ as guides.
- shift needed in thinking on part of students to not treat discussion questions as an assignment--eg. long monologues, not looking at contributions of other students. this requires some modeling on part of instructors to model
- chat as a tool that results in a different type of interaction than asynchronous discussion forum
- challenge of PBL format--discussion is the vehicle for students to work through the material, difficult in 200 level where getting used to online and PBL format, requires a lot of intense facilitation, for students to get used to the idea talking to each other. 300 level students very interactive, challenge then for the instructor to stay on top of it.
- strategies--set the tone, the instructor can respond to students and hope that other's will then get involved. instructor will post a few of her own threads and that some students will respond. if students not catching on to the discussion, will post a message about value and the importance of discussion. students discouraged by amount of postings, instructor can reassure that aren't required to read all the threads, can participate in one, and that is better than posting in isolation. perhaps need to have guidelines up front that clarify this purpose.
- starting off with a controversial posting that gets students involved
3. Participation/non participation
Best practice: Be clear about what participation means - ensure that learners are aware of the guidelines and use rubrics for evaluation when discussion posts are considered in assessment/grading. Provide warm up activity (such as introduction or opinion posts on a topical subject) to get the discussion going. Model expected online behavior and address non-participation quickly and privately.
- need to accomodate different learning styles, allow for read-only students?
- PBL is a major way of contributing, so what do you do if they don't? what if they are using other tools to interact? How do you assess it? Can only really do it through the peer evaluation?
how do we handle contacting students who aren't posting?
- closing date for discussions, general post to the discussion forum from the instructor
- non threatening emails
allocation to grade
- PBL pass/fail for reaching a minimum standard of participation, lots of warning given to students
- 10-25% in other types of courses
Quality of participation
- can be very intimidating for students to participate, importance to get them to make 'that first post'
- helpful when students bring up how they are challenged by the level of the discussion--instructor can emphasise that everybody's contribution is valuable
- do numbers make a difference? Group of 5 vs. group of 20? is it less intimidating?
Online Professor recommendation: have students be the ones to start of the discussion
4. Workload
PBL very heavy on the front end--intensive facilitation on the front end results in less at the end
5. Final thoughts
- online environment can be very intimidating, importance of making it less threatening to students--online orientation is a resource that can help provide a place for students to practice and get more comfortable
- 'guide on the side' but importance of frequent online presence--how can an instructor deal with this contradiction
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