Another Weber note

My other concern on page 2 is under PF5: They are linking "Understand students' academic goals to maximize program relevance" to "The act of cooperative learning provides training for almost any career or lifestyle" Although I agree that cooperative learning is a good thing and can probably enhance anyone's learning, I'm unsure that their statement fits well with understanding academic goals.
I understand academic goals to be much more personal and much more specific. Academic goals seem to be more content or subject-driven in my mind. Again, I am all for cooperative learning. I just think that this point may need to be clarified. Perhaps the Webers could change it to "cooperative learning allows students with common academic goals to learn with each other" or something like that.

Comments regarding Webers

Here's one of my concerns regarding the Weber's document:
On page 2 Under SF2, they write, "Learning preferences become less of an issue when technological tools present more ways to learn". I'm not exactly sure why, but this caught my eye and made me question that statement. Logically, it seems like learning preferences (I'm assuming they are referring to learning styles - visual, kinesthetic, etc) would be taken care of if students are provided with a bunch of tools that match learning styles. However, it is doubtful that every tool will work for every learning style every time. Beyond that, if we are talking about an area that is asynchronous or a blend of asynchronous and synchronous, are some methods for certain learning styles limited? Also, are we sure that learning preferences is equivalent to learning styles? Perhaps the meaning is more equivalent to learning orientation, where students are categorized as Transformers, Performers, Conformers and Resistors. If that is the case, I think the emphasis is more on learning strategies than particular tools. What I mean, is that Transformers are independent workers - they probably don't need any extra tools for interaction among students. Performers are more likely to want to interact with other students and may need some extrinsic rewards when a topic does not interest them. Conformers need more structure and the ability to interact with the instructor (more of a step-by-step process). So they will definitely need tools for interaction, but again the emphasis is on designing instruction with structure for conformers.I'm writing off the top of my head, so I hope this makes some sense.

Flash Server frustrations

I believe the rest of my group enjoyed their time on the Flash server last night. However, I was just plain frustrated. For whatever reason, my microphone continued to cut-out, my video froze a lot of the time, and after trying to speak and having no one respond (because there was such a delay and because half the time they couldn't hear me) I had to resort to typing out short answers. Basically, I was back to IM with a horrible frozen picture of myself on screen.
I don't think that the whole thing can be blamed on the flash server. I think a mixture of possibilities can be blamed.
1. My computer is hooked up to a wireless network (Airport)
2. I'm using a Macintosh
3. I wonder if the desktop is partitioned with enough memory (although I talked with Steven C. and he thought that it wasn't the problem)
4. The laptop G4 requires a powered microphone to be plugged in (can't use the regular headphone/microphone combo) or you have to use the built-in microhone (which I do).

So, I don't know, but the problem is forcing me to go to the education lab this evening and "meet" from there. I'll use a Mac though, to see if there are any oroblems there.
So I'll be working from home by going to school.

Working Out Thesis Stuff in my Brain

Okay, so the basic premise of my thesis is to examine surveys from the ECI 304 classes in regards to their sense of community and Learning Orientations. The courses are categorized into traditional classroom or online formats.

Questions/Issues:

1. Sense of Community - When was this survey taken - the 4th or 5th week? Is that enough time for students to determine their sense of community? Would it be very different if it was taken at the end of the course? Or maybe it doesn't matter, I don't know
   
2. Learner Orientation Ok, so LO is different than learning styles because LO focuses on affective, social and conative factors in learning, whereas learning styles focus on cognitive factors. LO is important for studying online learning because instructors can't use nonverbal cues (which they often use in traditional classes) in order to perceive motivation, incentive and other affective factors in a student's learning. Without that knowledge instructors can't change instruction appropriately.
   (Sorry, that was a kind of "download" from my brain)
   Martinez & Jones' research shows that Learner Orientation is significantly higher in web-based courses as opposed to traditional courses, meaning that web-based students may not be "typical" students in this regard. So obviously course format is a factor in terms of Learner Orientation (I guess because Performers and Transformers are more likely than conformers to self-select web-based courses or because they are more likely not to frop out of them).
   
3. Similarly, some research has shown a significant difference in perceived sense of community between online and traditional courses (of course pedagogy may have something to do with that, and hopefully instructional method/pedagogy will be controlled in this study). Other research has shown no significant difference. But let's just say for the time being that soc is affected by or can be correlated with course format.

So now, I'm trying to figure out the Research Question.

This is what I'm thinking at the moment

• Learner Orientation may have a relationship with course format, but is not affected by it
  (correlation, but not causality)
• Sense of community may have a relationship with course format, but also might be affected by it (correlation, maybe causality)
• Sense of community may have a relationship with LO, or may be affected by it (correlation or causality)

In my view, LO and course format do not change, they stay constant (yes course format can change according to selection, but in this class people are not changing from one to the other after the semester has started). So they are independent variables

Sense of community is the only thing that can change, making it a dependent variable.

But I'm still unsure where to go with the question.

Instant Messaging, Discussion Boards and Somewhere in Between

Andy and I were talking the other day about the limitations of Instant Messaging - mainly that you can't go too far in-depth in a discussion because it would take too long to type and you have people waiting for you in a real-time environment.
I told him that I had been thinking the other day that it would be interesting to have something in between IM and discussion boards. Basically, it would be real-time, but would be a threaded discussion, so that if a group was talking about more than one topic, or had more than one question that was being asked, members could create new threads. In that way members wouldn't be jumping on each other's answers constantly or waiting for others to reply.

I envisioned it like hypertext or hypercard. What I mean is, I envisioned boxes linked hierarchically according to topic/question. When someone posted to one of the links, it would flash on and off, so that members would know where to look.

I'm not sure that this tool woould be effective, particulalry in a small group, since we might be jumping all over the place to get to each other's ideas/questions (read: cognitive overload). But perhaps a larger group would find it beneficial.
Then again, maybe not.

Negligence

I know.. I have been mighty negligent when it comes to posting on my blog this past week. I think I had a combination of writer's block and mental confusion. In a way it was sort of like I was lurking in my own brain. No jokes please... I made it too easy.
I have done a lot of self-reflection this week however. I won't bore you with the details, but not only was I trying to figure out what we're all doing and what it means, but also trying to evaluate my learning and working styles and how that fits in to what I am doing. I'm not sure that makes any sense, but today I am feeling slightly refreshed, and I think I can begin to join the real world again.

Fogginess

Steven and Heather wrote about sometimes being in the clouds or in a fog - that what we are researching can be unclear at times. I absolutely, positively agree. Sometimes I think I have it, and then it slips through my grasp. And I also agree with Steven, that part of pursuing a PhD. is the fact that you are going to be walking through foggy spots, where everything looks fuzzy. I'll agree to that. But I don't always have to like it.

On the other hand, sometimes it seems that I'm reading the same article over and over again. Sometimes I feel like I'm reading the same article, different author. Doesn't it seem like authors in the field of education just steal each other's stuff, change the title and put their name on it? Or other times, it seems like I'm reading stuff that just seems like common sense to me - not necessarily worthy of a journal article where they're supposed to be researching "new stuph". But then again, I wonder, if this stuff seems ike common sense to me or seems like the same old stuff written by a new author, am I missing something?

Who knows. Cognitive dissonance is setting in.

Orientation Class

According to Sloan-C.org, Saint Leo University has instituted a mandatory, free 8-week orientation course to introduce first-term enrolled students to e-learning policies, procedures and support services. Students mentors serve as peer support, along with a faculty facilitator.
According to the effective practices page, "Such strategic efforts reduce the amount of frustration students can experience in their first term, develop critical thinking/learning skills, and improve their unfolding educational experience, resulting in clearer expectations and effective learning"
Evidently, since the program has been in place, the Center for Online Learning has seen an increase in retention rates.

Although this may fall under the category of "access issues". I think it is important in regards to academic self-efficacy. Students who understand the procedures of online learning and know where they can get help are more likely to feel confident in their abilities, hopefully more active in their academic community, and more likely not to drop out.

Community Resource Page

Although this is perhaps not the "best" practice that I've found, I think it is worthy of mentioning. The University of Massachusetts Lowell has tried to build commuity in its IT courses by creating a Community & Resource Website. It is specifically used within a Website Development course, but features past students as well as current students.

The website consists of

1. photos or caricatures of each student
   
2. Links to students' work
   
3. list of resources for working with Frontpage (their chosen web development software)
   
4. Links to the work of previous students
   

Student feedback has indicated positive results from the website. According to Sloan-C.org, the students are allowed to personalize their assignments, which results in a lot of interaction between students and faculty. Students view wach others work and generally aim for high standards and are proud of their work.

I like this idea, not specifically for one course, but as a ID&T community website. Posting pictures, bios, etc. might bring our academic community closer. As a course website it could also be beneficial, particulalry if students post their assignments. Students coud peer review or get advice from each other.

Florida State University's School of Information Studies also asks its students to create a personal profile, complete with a photo. Sloan-C.org says that these "introductions increase student satisfaction through developing engagements and community. The profiles help the faculty to know students better and to use their information in designing learning teams and activities".

Instant Messaging

I was readng an article entitle, Socialization in the "virtual hallway": Instant messaging in the asynchronous Web-based distance education classroom, by Scott Nicholson (published in Internet and Higher Education, 2002).
The article probably won't win any rewards, but I found it somewhat interesting. The author made IM available to a class of 30 Masters students. Instant Messaging was not a requirement, which means that the study is biased by self-selection. Nonetheless, the key fndings were:

1. Thos students who chose to use IM were more likely to agree with the statement that they felt a sense of community with classmates
   
2. Those that used IM reported communicating more with fellow students than those who did not
   
3. Several students commented that they appreciated the ability to get immediate feedback from the instructor when both were online
   
4. The IM was used mainly for social communication, and less likely for communication about group work or classroom material
   
5. Several IM users found IM more friendly and warm than the planned out postings on the discussion board. - Some questioned IM's ability to facilitate learning and found it to be more for socializing.
   

:)

1. 
   

Group work

10-6-04
Andy and I were discussing our “tools and rules” project and had also briefly discussed the Clark articles the day before. Andy was able to articulate what had been rumbling in my head. H e said, “If the tools (media) are not supposed to affect/enhance learning, then we shouldn’t be concentrating on the tools first. We should figure out what we want to do, and then figure out what tools help us do it.” I’m sure that is what Dr. O has always intended for us to do, but it is very easy to just go straight to the tools without really considering the learner and learning process.

So what do we want to do?
We are looking at Sense of Community and Student Satisfaction and Self-Efficacy.
Sense of community can be defined as a feeling of belonging/membership in the classroom community and the ability to trust fellow members with your ideas and questions. Members work together toward similar goals.
Student Satisfaction encompasses a lot of things, including sense of community and the interaction of students and faculty.
Self-Efficacy in this case relates to a class member’s feelings about how well they can accomplish a task (whether it be technically related or in terms of succeeding in the course). A member with low self-efficacy is less likely to participate and is less likely to be a satisfied member of the community.

So I guess the main things we want to do is:
Sense of community: help create a sense of trust/membership by encouraging meaningful interaction
Self-efficacy: help new/inexperienced students to “get over” their “nervousness” and trust those who may have more experience. Ie: peer tutoring or other answers for technical questions, perhaps a cyber “café” where students can meet one another and find peers with whom they have a common background.