Exploring Web 2.0 to support online learning communities: where technology meets pedagogy

Exploring Web 2.0 to support online learning communities: where technology meets pedagogy Giselle Ferreira, Wendy Fisher, Jon Rosewell & Karen Kear TERG/Department of Communication and Systems/COLMSCT

Overview

9:00 Introductions

9:50 Hands-on 1: Exploring ning

10:30 Coffee Break

11:00 Hands-on 2: Exploring Web 2.0 applications scenarios

Who are you?

Where do you work and what do you do there?

Pick a Web 2.0 tool that you could use in a course you teach. Convince your line manager that this is a really good idea!

The Open University http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/explained/distance-learning.shtml Open Distance Learning Model Learning Resources Student Central Academic Tutor Tutor Assess

Communications Technologies Beechener, K and Fisher, W 2009 Blending Technology with Pedagogy Video / screencast TV Broadcast 2000s / Blended era 1980s / 1990s 1960s / 1970s Virtual CMCs Face to Face Wiki File Transfer Paper handout Social networking Blog / Twitter Conferencing Forums Discussion and debate Virtual classroom Virtual world Chat rooms Instant messaging Tutorial Skype Text / SMS / MMS Email Mobile phone Telephone Podcast RSS CD / DVD Cassette and video tape Web / VLE Digital Analogue

Wendy’s interests

Supporting Tutors in their use of technology

Monitoring tutor performance

Experiential approach

Constructivist approach

On-line community for BFPO students

Social Networking and on-line community

Giselle’s interests http://www.cands.org/Home/people/giselle-ferreira

Broad area: Impact of Internet technologies on teaching and learning practices

Web-based tools

Open Educational Resources and Open Learning Environments

Theme: Boundaries

‘ teacher’ vs. ‘learner’

‘ formal’ vs. ‘informal’ learning

‘ content’ vs. ‘presentation’

Project 1: ATELIER-D

Achieving Transformation, Enhanced Learning and Innovation through Educational Resources in Design

The ‘atelier’ in Design Education

Collaborative: learning with others

Constructivist: learning by doing

The ‘online atelier’

Tools: trials

Pedagogy: integration

Project 2: ‘Ethics and technology’ OpenLearn Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Centre for Open Learning of Mathematics, Science, Computing and Technology

Participation in forums – context

The Open University

distance learning for 40 years

about 200,000 students

159,000 students online

Online forums for teaching and learning

more than 20 years

now 448,000 postings per month

variety of purposes

The few and the many…

a few students post many messages

many students post a few messages

Digital photography: creating and sharing better images

Distance education students

About 1500 students, twice a year

No face-to-face, no personal tutor

Peer support

Moderated conferences

OpenStudio photo-sharing site

A learning journey

Karen’s interests

Technology and Education Research Group (TERG)

www.open.ac.uk/blogs/terg/

Research on wikis and forums

for online tutorials and group projects

Research on synchronous conferencing

for online tutorials

Wikis for group projects

Most groups used the wiki for contributing material and the forum for discussion

“ The wiki and the forum are both important and useful to the tasks, the wiki is best for creating an actual collaborative document and the forum is good for the discussion supporting and surrounding the topic.”

Nearly all students thought it was useful to have both tools available

“ These tools have different uses, so we used each tool for what it was good at.”

Some groups also used live chat

“ Let’s not forget the chat facility too - a very useful tool for troubleshooting or immediate problems.”

Elluminate conferencing

Links

Wendy’s final COLMSCT report ‘Do we engage the student in e-assessment by personalising lecturers’ feedback interventions?’ http://www.open.ac.uk/colmsct/resources/details/detail.php?itemId =48bff7c02ccac