RSA#4 Understanding Social Presence in Text-Based Online Learning Environments.

Module 7 Blog RSA #4

http://www.fp.ucalgary.ca/maclachlan/EDER_679.06_Fall_2009/Social_Presence.pdf

Throughout Module 7 we read about promoting and building collaborative learning.  According to our text, “An important element of community, whether it is face-to-face or online, is the development of shared goals.”  (Palloff & Pratt p .159)  We also learn about the importance of posting introductions and learning experiences in an online format.  This helps to replace some of those elements that are lost with the lack of face-to-face communication.  Online learning should also be able to relate to real life problems, interests, and experiences to help draw the learner in and have more meaning and collaboration.  Technology driven learning allows people to process through thoughts, reflect, articulate exact words to be used, and formulate thoughts without being under the pressure of immediate face-to-face responses. 

My selected article talks a lot about the social aspect of on-line learning and what is lost and gained.  The study talks about the social presence felt with online learners.   According to this study, “Findings suggest that social presence develops in two-part process: establishment of social presence and ongoing demonstrations of presence” (Kehrwald, p. 95)  The initial social interaction happens during the introduction when you store information about things you have in common, interests, or anything else that helps you remember them.  From there the discussions and posts you have between others helps to maintain the communication aspect between people.

I feel both articles hit home on what is and is not there socially.  They both talk about how things are missing, but there are ways to work towards replacing them.  An online introduction is there to help you get to know one another, is there to reference back, and helps you have a connection with another person.  Is this helpful, yes.  In our hybrid class there are times when I recognize a name in a post but I can’t picture them even though we’ve met a handful of times in class.  Looking back at the introductions helps trigger who that person is.  Now if we were meeting face to face weekly would I be doing the same thing?  Who knows.  I may already know people better, I may not.  However, I do know without those introductions and discussion boards it would feel like you were taking a class by yourself.

References

Kehrwald, B. (2008). Understanding Social Presence in Text‐Based Online Learning

Environments. Distance Education, 29(1), 89-106.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007).  Building Online Learning Communities:  Effective

            Strategies for the Virtual Classroom (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

RSA#3 Online Communities: Focusing on Sociability and Usability.

Module 5 Blog

http://www.ee.oulu.fi/~vassilis/courses/socialweb10F/reading_material/1/Preece03-OnlineCommunities-HandbookChapt.pdf

In our module 5 reading we started reading about the learning community in online learning in the book Building Online Learning Communities by Palloff and Pratt.  The first three chapters cover when teaching and learning leave the classroom, recontextualizing community, and the human side of learning.  The part of this reading that really resonates with me is the loss of social interaction in certain technologies.  How do we identify and address the gap between online learning and face-to-face learning.  As the book points out there are benefits to online learning, but at the same time we have to acknowledge the drawbacks and what are lost (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).  Coming from a hybrid class where we have exposure to both types of learning, this is a topic we have discussed on more than one occasion.

Preece and Maloney-Krichmar (2007) ask the important questions about online learning communities.  The article brings up an excellent point on the emergence of online communities stating, “Many of today’s online communities changed comparatively little during the last twenty years, until the Web became widespread in the mid-1990s.  Since then there has been a steady flow of new versions and new technologies but the biggest changes are in how the technology is being used, and who is using it (Preece & Maloney-Krichmar p.6).  The article talks about how the best avenue for communication is different depending on the individual, medium, and type of communication.  What works best for one person is not always what works best for another person.  As teachers we have all heard the hype term “differentiated instruction.”  That term is not just applicable to those students.

            In the article Online Communities: Focusing on Sociability and Usability it asks those same questions about online communities that the chapters in our book as well as the questions that I myself as an educator has.  I do feel that this article really gets to the heart of theses questions and takes it a step further by talking about things such as factors that affect the ease with which common ground is established.  It takes a chapter of our book and makes it into a 48 page thought process. 

References

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Preece, J., & Maloney-Krichmar, D. (2003). Online Communities: Focusing on Sociability

and Usability. Handbook of human-computer interaction, 596-620.

RSA#2:The Professional Learning Community; A Fulcrum of Change.

Module 3 Blog

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ908176.pdf

In our module 3 readings we continue on our journey with Professional Learning Communities.  DuFour (2010) reinforces the statement “High levels of learning for all students” throughout our readings (p. 126).  In our book we go into further detail about formal assessment and what its used to identify. DuFour also talks about the different types of teams.  We also read about S.M.A.R.T. goals and their necessity in relation to where we are and where we are going.  Furthermore, the chapters talk about data at schools and using this data to make decisions.  Lastly, we read about change.  How changes are disruptive and affect teachers, students, and school leaders. 

The article The Professional Learning Community A Fulcrum of Change talks about a lot of the things we’ve covered in our text as well as talks about the reality of a PLC.  The beginning of Hellner’s (2008) article says, “A PLC can enable educational institutions to capitalize on change, on research, on technology and on self management, in order to secure the benefits for the school, for the teachers, and most importantly, for the students.  (p 50)  The article talks about the critical attributes of a PLC; a culture of collaboration, shared and supportive leadership, shared values and vision, collective learning and collaboration, teachers sharing personal practice, and supportive conditions.  Additionally the article talks about how to measure, diagnose, and evaluate a PLC.  Finally, the article talks about the implications of a PLC.  This is where the article talks about about the realities of a PLC.  Reading this portion of the article sounded a lot like conversations and discussion board posts we’ve had in class.  It  talks about the debates of what happens when you have too many people, ideas, beliefs, and such.  It also proposes a variety of questions that follow the thought process of what came first the chicken or the egg?

The article took place in New Zealand, which proposes he question of how much can it relate to us.  They have different ways of teaching, evaluating, etc.  If you really think about it though every district and school in the U.S. is a little different too.  So although there are differences I could clearly see the similarities.  I think this article follows right along with our class.  It talks about the realities of the PLC which are talked about in our book.  Furthermore, it asks the same types of questions we have asked one another and of the PLC. 

Dufour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook

for Professional Communities at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree.

Hellner, J. (2008). The Professional Learning Community: A Fulcrum of Change.

Kairaranga, 9(1), 50-54.

RSA1: Professional Learning Communities: A Bandwagon, an Idea Worth Considering, or Our Best Hope for High Levels of Learning?

Module 2 Blog #1

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ775771.pdf

A professional learning community’s major goal is student learning.  Throughout Module 2 and its readings we learn about a number of different things related to PLCs and their formation. Chapter three asks the questions what do we want our students to learn, and how will we know what they have learned it (Dufour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2010).  These are two questions that need to be asked when developing a PLC and relate directly to formative assessment.  Our readings also discuss what resources are needed.  This does not mean what books we need its asking what do teachers need to make their PLC worthwhile and beneficial for their students.  How do you find the space and work the time into already busy schedules?  How do you share all of your great student work, assignments, tests, and best practices?  Depending on the group and depending on their needs will determine the tools and resources used to do just this.  This is where our technology can be a huge help.  People who can not meet face to face weekly could have a virtual online space to share and chat when they have individual time because sometimes let’s face it, finding group time when everyone is available is much more difficult.  The chapters also talk about setting goals to accomplish along the way.  Personally, I feel this is hugely important to the success of a PLC.  A lot of the time this isn’t a focus and therefore the group looses focus along the way.  Lastly, if I had to pick one key word from the readings it would be collaboration.  PLCs should be promoting collaboration amongst one another throughout the process, which will tie into all the steps along the way.  Teachers need to shift from an I/me perspective to an us/we perspective.  Find common ground.

I knew what online article I wanted to read as soon as I saw the title “Professional Learning Communities: A bandwagon, an Idea Worth Considering, or Our Best Hope for High Levels of Learning.”  At both my school’s I’ve taught at I’ve been part of PLCs; one titled a PLC one not.  My first school where I was part of a “PLC” before being introduced to anything or being part of it an older woman in my department said “Oh great, another thing we did 30 years ago that we now have to do all over again.  You can paint a zebra orange but he’s still a zebra.”  I found it very interesting that she felt most all things in teaching/learning came full circle that just changed a title and called it something new.  Because of this discussion I have been intrigued ever since about whether there was substance to this concept or was it just a bunch of recycled fluff.  What is a PLC?  This article gets right to it.  Ironically enough my peer-reviewed article is none other than Richard DuFour.  My online resource talks about a lot of the confusion that is out there surrounding PLCs.  Developing that even further the article talks about what people do, think they should be doing, and what it is they actually should be doing.  It talks about how people “did not focus much on practices; instead the focused on terminology, structures, and perceptions.” (DuFour, 2007)

The chapters talk about the practices and the article talks about the need to focus on the practices but a lot of people get caught up in the technical jargon.  Teachers were calling themselves part of a PLC without focusing on the important things like assessment criteria and collaboration.  The chapters acknowledge these as important as does the article.  The article also talks about how PLCs sometimes fail because there is not enough time that is a concern also brought up in the textbook.  “One of our most consistent findings and understandings about the change process in education that all successful schools experience ‘implementation dips’… a dip in performance and confidence as one encounters an innovation that requires new skills and understanding (Fullan, 2007).  I think the article has a strong similarity to the books feelings however its looking at an example of when elements of a PLC are not present and points out what should happens. 

References

DuFour, R. (2007). Professional Learning Communities: A Bandwagon, an Idea Worth Considering, or Our Best Hope for High Levels of Learning? Middle School Journal, 39(1), 4–8.

Dufour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Communities at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree.

Fullan, M. (2007). Leading in a Culture of Change (Revised.). Jossey-Bass.