RSA #5: Adventure Learning: Transformative Hybrid Online Education

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            This week’s readings focus on how we need to make our online environments capable of providing “the support and ability to dialogue and critically reflect on the material presented, as well as on the self” so that we encourage transformative learning (Palloff & Pratt, 2007, p. 185). Transformative learning is an important part of constructivism because it is where students make meaning of the information they have gathered and processed so far. This often happens when students encounter “disorienting dilemmas” where their beliefs or knowledge are challenged (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). Just getting involved in an online class could cause this for many students, so as a facilitator of an online class it is important to understand this, encourage it and provide an outlet for reflection and discussion. One major reflection piece in an online course is evaluation and student assessment both summative and formative. These evaluation tools are important in the reflection and growth process both for students and teachers/institutions. Feedback given can help both get a fresh perspective on their methods and outcomes.

            The article I read this week by Doering introduced the concept of “adventure learning” or AL and how its function is to “provide students with opportunities to explore real world issues through authentic learning experiences within collaborative learning environments” (2006, p.2). This program was K-12 but functions very much like the adult online learning communities we have studied where everyone is responsible for gathering and constructing knowledge through reflection, collaboration, discussion, and research. AL can be a lot of things but all the “lessons” should be online, include collaboration, relate to a real world problem, and have a solid curriculum component. These sites or units are really made to help students learn together using their strengths, ability to gather information, and their ability to communicate to solve real world problems which will ultimately prepare them for life. Teachers and experts would be there to help guide and facilitate the class by helping with technology issues and pointing out where to find information, but students would ultimately be responsible for their own learning and the learning of the others on the “adventure” with them.

            One of the main similarities between the two readings was their emphasis on transformative learning. Both authors believe strongly in constructivism having a place in education, and they know that transformative learning is the key to making that method effective. However, this is also one of the aspects where the age of the participant makes a difference in how we define transformative education. For adults gathering and sharing information is an important part of the process, but for us it is almost more important for us to reflect on what has been learned and take a critical look at our process and product so that we can grow. For children in the AL program, the sharing of prior knowledge, the gathering and sharing of information and the discussion are as far as the transformative learning goes. Students are not developmentally ready, in most cases, to take a hard look at what they’ve learned, how they will apply it, and how they could improve next time. They are just excited to have learned with others and solved a real world problem “on their own” without a teacher telling them where to find their answers in the book. This article just brings to light how we will have to change our methods when designing these communities for children.

References

Doering, A. (2006). Adventure learning: transformative hybrid online education.

            Distance Education, 27(2), Retrieved from

            http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid           

            =112&sid=3bb1d264-e177-4bc1-a538-264d61ddfdf5%40sessionmgr115&vid=6

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: effective   strategies for the 

            virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

RSA #4: Student Success in Online K-12 Education

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            This week’s reading covered the responsibilities of an online facilitator and how they can effectively move learning to an online format. Palloff and Pratt stress that teachers must make learning student centered and help lead students through the content instead of presenting it to them (2007). The instructor’s job is to manage the class by setting norms, encouraging social presence, and making sure students understand the technology they are required to use. The student’s role is to participate in the construction of knowledge through collaboration and inquiry (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).

            Palloff and Pratt also discuss the specifics of running an online course such as creating objectives for students’ learning, choosing readings, deciding when to let students make choices, as well as coming up with discussion topics and assignments (2007). The last component that the authors discuss was setting up the location where the learning will happen. This largely will be determined by software or websites the teacher decides to use. The choice should be based on what the facilitator needs in terms of flexibility, discussions, ability to share data/sources, and overall whether or not it will be easily accessible to all students. The class’s community is what will ultimately bring the class to life with its collaboration, discussion, and social presence (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).

            We also read a survey that was given to a group of administrators to collect data on “the nature of online learning in K-12 schools and establish base data for more extensive future studies” (Picciano & Seaman , 2007, pg. 20) The results of the survey provided information on why online courses would be provided by an institution, what the specific challenges were for facilitating an online course, who are providing these opportunities, and how participants felt about the programs they participated in. Picciano and Seaman also report that there has been, and will continue to be growth in the online learning field (2007). It was also interesting to note the plight of rural school districts not being able to provide as many options for their students and so those districts have been turning to online education to help supplement for their students.

            I also read an online article titled Student Success in Online K-12 Education which states that “many virtual schools exist to expand access to high quality or rigorous

curricula, serving rural areas and special learner groups such as gifted or at-risk students” (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005, pg.115). They also mention that the internet is used both as an educational and social tool to create environments where students learn, collaborate, interact, and construct the knowledge to function in a job or as a citizen (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005).  They go on to add that students must have certain attributes such as motivation, self discipline, and self awareness to be successful in the online format. Ronsisvalle and Watkins stress that online community building through collaboration and discussion are essential to not only the success of the student, but to the course as a whole (2005). Getting oriented to the program and the class including its structure and technology is also important. The authors recommend preparation, monitoring, and follow up training to make sure students and staff feel confident in the technologies they are being asked to use (2005).

            All three sources are in agreement when they address why the online format is being used, how important creating community is, and under what conditions the online class will flourish. The last article by Ronsisvalle and Watkins touches primarily on what makes students successful in the online format, and their findings agree that students must have certain attributes to participate successfully, community must be built and maintained, and that students and teachers must be capable of using the format with ease. I thought it was interesting to note that students who have participated in the online format previously are much more likely to be successful in a new class. The authors pointed out that the rates of success in online classes went up dramatically over the course of a few years because the students were familiar with the format and therefore more prepared to succeed in an online class (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005).  

References

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: effective strategies for the 

              virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Picciano A. G., Seaman J. (2007). K-12 online learning: a survey of U.S. school district

            administrators. Retrieved from http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/pdf/K-   

            12_Online_Learning.pdf

Ronsisvalle, T., & Watkins, R. . (2005). Student success in online k-12 education.

            Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(2), Retrieved from

            http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid           

            =107&sid=53aebf14-5824-495d-971a-01049e9d4f57%40sessionmgr114&vid=7

RSA #3: Instructional-Design Theory to Guide the Creation of Online Learning Communities for Adults

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            This week’s reading introduces the concept of an online community. Online learning communities are very similar to professional learning communities in terms of their goal of socially constructing knowledge, but through a different medium: technology. One of the major hurdles an online learning community must overcome is creating a sense community and social presence when participants do not meet face to face. Social presence is defined by Palloff and Pratt (2007) as “the person we become online” (p. 28). This social presence is usually not established until a person feels comfortable in the online community where trust, common goals, and mutually agreed upon guidelines are present (Palloff & Pratt, 2007). The authors present several methods of how to create an effective community that will foster an enthusiastic online learning environment in which participants feel comfortable and willing to express themselves. They suggest starting with a face to face meeting in which participants agree upon goals, social guidelines, time lines, methods of research, online tools, and spend some time getting to know one another, thus jump starting their formation of social presence within the community (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).

            The online article I found this week was written around the same time the Palloff and Pratt book was written and even used some of their previous work as a reference. Many of their ideas were the same, but I thought the way the author broke down the idea of an online learning community into values and goals was interesting. Her 5 values were: learner centered environment, community synergy, respect of individuality, focus on real world problems, and self directed learning (Snyder, 2009). These are general guiding principals for online community building, but she also presented instructional methods which can be used to guide behavior. These instructional methods were: establish trust, maintain consistency, define and communicate purpose, confirm expectations, promote communication and collaboration during the learning process, offer flexibility, differentiate, encourage sharing of information, shared leadership, use internet resources and information, recognize and reward students, and provide time for reflection (Snyder, 2009).

            Both readings covered the same topic, but I found the Snyder article much more concise and helpful in terms of being able to figure out what’s really important when facilitating an online learning community. Although, all the authors tended to agree on the major points, I thought a few of Snyder’s instructional methods were interesting. When she talked about confirming expectations, she mentioned that after setting a purpose together as a group, each individual member should write down and share what they expected to gain from the community (Snyder, 2009). The author says that this will help other members of the group clarify what they are setting out to achieve and what the true direction will be. The other method that stuck out was time to reflect on what the group had done and what it still needed to do. She encouraged members to reflect on whether or not they had achieved their personal goals and how they would use what they learned in the “real world”. Synder also suggests that these reflections be shared online through a blog so that others can read and learn from their reflections (2009).

            Overall, I think it is interesting to note that many of the methods and practices suggested by the authors are being used effectively in this course. As I was reading this week I found myself comparing our online community to the theoretical/idealistic online communities being presented and found that they were very similar. It would seem that our instructor has done her homework. :)

References

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: effective                  strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Snyder, M.M. (2009). Instructional-design theory to guide the creation of online learning      communities for adults. TechTrends, 53(1), Retrieved from      http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid            =119&sid=82ae8cfa-b6a9-4cf0-8116-e74657199942%40sessionmgr113&vid=12