Category: Resolution

OTL301 – Post 4 – Asynchronous Learning

Topics:

I wanted to find out (a) where the difficulties arose, and (b) suggestions and advice for success in this modality.

Common Problem Areas that were evident in the readings and videos were:

  1. Teacher Training – teachers had to develop capability in this type of delivery; understanding and using the various tools that were utilized in courses (video, discussions, wikis, etc.)
  2. Teacher Knowledge – the facilitator needs to have the content knowledge to develop material and to assist with student inquiries.
  3. Failing to address student misunderstandings in a timely manner, prior to the student continuing along a wrong path or moving on with other material; not being able to address student questions/concerns in a spontaneous manner
  4. Classroom Atmosphere – sometimes there can be a disconnect between facilitator and students, and among students.
  5. Students not watching the videos, or reading the material, as expected for developing a full appreciation or understanding of the material.
  6. Applying the pressure and support at a specific time when a student may need that extra motivation.
  7. Lack of spontaneous discussions.

Common Advantages brought forward were:

  1. Students have time for more analytical and reflective thought.
  2. The technology allows for the resources to be available at any time; allowing for review.
  3. Respects the individual for being a self-motivated person.
  4. Students can skip or move through content that they already know at a faster pace.
  5. The learning method suits students with busy and unusual life schedules.
  6. The learning programs are cheaper to produce and deliver.

Lessons Learned:

  1. Establish relationships earlier, as relationships have been found to be a significant contributor to student completion.
  2. Suggest definitive time frames for completing the material; usually in one week intervals.
  3. Ensure that feedback on learning is regular and timely.

References:

Haslam, J (n.d.) Synchronous vs. asynchronous classes. Retrieved from: http://www.elearners.com/online-education-resources/degrees-and-programs/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-classes/

Littlefield, J. (n.d.) Synchronous distance learning vs asynchronous distance learning. Retrieved from: http://distancelearn.about.com/od/choosingaschool/p/LearningTypes.htm

Makhlouf, J. (July 29, 2014) All by myself: The benefits and disadvantages of asynchronous learning. Retrieved from: http://elearningmind.com/benefits-and-disadvantages-of-asynchronous-learning/

Rysicki (2012) Asynchronous learning. Retrieved from: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+aschronous+teaching&view=detail&mid=E4B39B02A2B51E3CE783E4B39B02A2B51E3CE783&FORM=VIRE

Walton, P. D. (2015, November 1). Online indigenous university student supports, barriers, and learning preferences. Unpublished report, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC.

(2015). Asynchronous learning: Flipping the classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+aschronous+teaching+benefits+and+disadvantages&view=detail&mid=4FD38A2127BB580433D74FD38A2127BB580433D7&FORM=VIRE

OTL301 Post 3 – Designing Aligned Learning Experiences

Learning Outcomes:

  1. The student will assess his/her personal leadership qualities for self-awareness and identifying professional growth areas.
  2. The student will read, discuss and reflect of professional capacities for leadership in school settings.

Learning Activities:

  1. Personal Leadership Assessment – Use three of the provided leadership assessments to identify your areas of strength and growth. One of your assessments must be completed by a critical friend.
  2. Significant Leader – Use the leadership dimension rubric provided in class, and the stated criteria, to reflect on and to assess an individual who was a leader in your work environment or in your life. Identify where and how the leader demonstrated their strengths, and where their leadership  required support and why.
  3. Personal Credo – Reflect on your life as to why you have the values you live by. The credo should have three distinct components. Identify the people, influences, and experiences that shaped your values. List those values. Explain how those values are being enacted in your work and personal life.

OTL301 – Post 1

I am a long-term, experienced educator. I have (a) taught K-12 for may years, (b) evaluated practice and programs as a senior manager, and (c) enjoyed applying past practice and newly-learned practice into the post-secondary environment.While still learning many new concepts, I feel much of my practice is effectively honed.

One of my most effective and well-received strategies is to conduct immediate feedback on assignments; within a 24 hour time frame.

I remember when I was in public school and teachers would keep assignments and exams for weeks before returning anything to the students. Why have due dates for students if not for teachers? Also, when doing my doctoral studies I experienced unsatisfactory supervision. My main supervisor would not return emails, agree to meetings, and fail to return work/ideas for weeks at a time. This was very frustrating and led to an unhealthy relationship between student and supervisor.

Providing immediate feedback to students on their work and ideas honours them as individuals, and excites them about what they are doing. This is also an effective practice for the teacher as it maintains their focus and keep them in touch with their students, building a trusting and appreciative relationship.

The key ingredients are that the teacher needs to have good scheduling and tie management, planning their time in advance to provide this opportunity. Central to the effective of the practice is that the feedback is meaningful; being specific and constructive from the student’s learning perspective.

I have kept to the feedback philosophy for decades, thus, presently, regarding the timely and targeted feedback practice, I have not foreseen any changes to it at this time.

OTL201 Post 5 Reflection on Presence and Engagement

Two Concepts Related to Engagement/Retention:

  1. Equivalence Principle (Muller) – The notion of accepting that learning can happen equally well from multiple mediums was reassuring. The ‘equivalency’ of video to text learning was an excellent reminder for teachers to be aware of.
  2. Pre-teaching vocabulary and concepts – I had used this technique routinely in f2f teaching and need to re-examine this for online. I have found that I revisit vocabulary and concepts in my weekly emails, but now, knowing the areas that can be problematic, in a course, I can apply proactive pre-teaching for certain words and/or concepts.

Rationale – Weekly emails:

Establishing communication, and more importantly, sustaining the level of interaction has always worked well for me over the years. This, along with timely responses to questions, has been well received by students. This strategy reduces stress and builds trust between student and teacher, establishing a joint ownership for success.

Future Goals:

  1. To access further articles on the effect of increasing social presence, through embedding video aids in online content. (Search for appropriate articles to clarify what Mandernach stated as only having a ‘slight increase in engagement’.)
  2. Clarify key vocabulary prior to, or simultaneously with, exposure within the course content. (Proactively introduce key vocabulary in weekly email newsletters to cohort.)

 

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.