Month: July 2016

Initial Facilitating Strategies

From a first-time horizon of facilitating learning in the online medium, I have tried to incorporate some of my f2f personal supports. Three of the general supports that I have provided have been:

  1. Weekly email newsletters entitled, Looking Back and Ahead. –  This publication (a) reviews the main points of the last module, (b) points out the issues that needed additional clarification for further learning and application, (c) describes what tasks and expectations are in the next module, and (d) offers some advice on how to proceed and manage within the next module of study.
  2. Exemplars – In the weekly updates, where appropriate and necessary, I attach exemplars that I have in my personal files that align with the tasks, and also provide suggestions for how to approach and complete the upcoming assignment.
  3. Making individual contact – When students are behind, even slightly, or when students are having life problems, personal emails (with the option of phone conversations) are conducted to seek clarification, and to offer support, advice and flexibility.

An example of an assignment support is found below:

Lit Review Suggestions – Assign 5

Next Steps:

For future online facilitating, I have:

  1. Kept copies of weekly newsletters for refinement and reuse.
  2. Gathered course exemplars into a file for future use.
  3. Made notes for my own ‘heads up’ as to when the group will need specific, timely intervention and support for completing the course material.

Five Further Entries/Actions for Online Learning Supports:

  1. Introduce and explain key vocabulary.
  2. Learn and practice about creating and embedding video in to online course material.
  3. Become more knowledgeable about the effect of embedded video in online course material.
  4. Continue to speak ‘personally’ with little jargon and where necessary explain the jargon using an explanatory phrase.
  5. Apply the Segmenting Principle to keep the communication on student expectations clear and manageable.

OTL201 Post 1 Rewind

Enhancement with Social Presence:

The introduction of images and video/audio provide characterization to the person involved. This builds personal connection between the instructor and student.

Possible Improvements:

Greater length of comments in respect to diversity of topics and background would be the most notable enhancement. Including video and audio would be an enrichment over the audio alone. Embedding video information to the assignment expectations and/or the learning activities would provide greater detail and direction, and serve to reduce student stress. Accessing/interacting with the student social presence would provide the instructor with greater layers of understanding regarding the individuals.

Attitude Towards Social Presence:

Brief comment on social presence.

 

OTL101 Reflections

Reflections on OTL 101

Previous Posts:

I particularly enjoyed the reading and assessment of the Hattie article on feedback. I felt the article was a fine synopsis of reviewing key research findings, but was remiss in omitting current practices and  lacked the personal connection to practical experience, the praxis.

Post 4 – Feedback on Hattie Article

Two Key Ideas:

  1. I gravitated towards the concept of being aware of the key words and phrases that students use in their discourse and writing. I do this when I read academic work, but have not done so with my students to any remarkable degree.
  2. I enjoyed examining and referring to the overview figure that depicted the SOLO taxonomy of sample verbs that illustrated levels of understanding.

Two Questions:

  1. How to become more familiar with the tools in the online course delivery? — working through these Pro-D experiences and facilitating a course is assisting in this regard, but still very much a novice.
  2. Can key word and phrase usage by students be incorporated into my assessment practice in an objective manner that adds depth to my reflection on the student’s ability and level of understanding?

Two Goals:

  1. To ascertain student personal perspectives and attitudes on concepts and tasks by the assessment of key words and phrases in their discourses and written work. — Action: To purposely code a student paper and email dialogue.
  2. To develop learning objectives that propel/guide student thought and engagement more purposefully by attending to the type of verbs used in the statements. — Action- Use the SOLO taxonomy of verbs and levels of understanding when developing objectives.

OTL 101 – Post 4 – Feedback

Regarding “Feedback” paper by Hattie (as based on Sutton et al., 2011)

Gaps in what Hattie discusses:

  1. There were positive reminders such as sizeable amounts of feedback that is descriptive and provides direction. The collective v. individualistic cultures was an interesting revisit that I enjoyed.
  2. Some gaps were evident. Collective and individualistic cultures can occur at the micro-level as well–the cohort or classroom. This is determined by the type of culture (focus) that the school and teachers perpetuate. This aspect also coincides with the importance of teacher conversation and how they correct actions and create the environment for risk-taking. The lack of discussion on collaboratively creating criterion for assessments, the use of exemplars and performance standards was surprisingly absent. Using the criterion-based rubrics for initial feedback, and for developing specific feedback comments would have added to the paper. The age and level of the students would be of interest (primary v. graduates). Teachers explaining the gaps that they possess and some of their vulnerability would have been an extension I would have enjoyed.
  3. To improve effective feedback to students I would offer consideration of (a) quick turn-around on feedback/assignments, (b) use of criterion-based rubrics, (c) using “to improve . . .” statements, (d) directing students to further exemplars that address the gaps that were evident, and (e) ensuring that potentially disconcerting feedback (as with some graduate students I supervise) is done privately and with compassion.