Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online Jo Gibson Authentic Encounters Online Ltd

Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online A case study insight involving: 10 years within online environments Interaction with 23 countries - mainly with NZers Individuals, classrooms and GATE students Students aged 7-15 years: age irrelevant vs strategies Technical, design and management strategies

A case study insight involving:

10 years within online environments

Interaction with 23 countries - mainly with NZers

Individuals, classrooms and GATE students

Students aged 7-15 years: age irrelevant vs strategies

Technical, design and management strategies

What is a collaborative online environment? It’s the result of a paradigm shift It’s a learner-centred paradigm not instructor-led It’s where there are time & distance boundaries It’s where the learning theory is constructivist

It’s the result of a paradigm shift

It’s a learner-centred paradigm not instructor-led

It’s where there are time & distance boundaries

It’s where the learning theory is constructivist

Spotlights Eg: Pauline McLeod ICTPD Facilitator, Cambridge Currently in Turkey, beaming back to 80+ students Learn-Now: an online learning centre for extension & enrichment. The reference base for examples given alongside strategies presented.

Strategy #1 Develop a leadership/planning team - varies in style, eg: Guest: Pauline & Learn-Now staff 12 year old: WW2, Henry VIII & Elizabeth 1 Classroom teacher, a guest + 2 Learn-Now teachers

Develop a leadership/planning team - varies in style, eg:

Guest: Pauline & Learn-Now staff

12 year old: WW2, Henry VIII & Elizabeth 1

Classroom teacher, a guest + 2 Learn-Now teachers

Strategy #2 Develop a shared vision, objective & timeline The framework & the big picture Student interest, capturing the moment, curriculum Eg: Pauline: to show several schools in her cluster, the tools available for learning online, using an inquiry focus

Develop a shared vision, objective & timeline

The framework & the big picture

Student interest, capturing the moment, curriculum

Eg: Pauline: to show several schools in her cluster, the tools available for learning online, using an inquiry focus

Strategy #3 Sell the idea Inviting participants on board - staff and students Detailed presentation of intent absolutely crucial Give a clear indication of support and opportunities Approximately 80 students are virtual tourists to Turkey - increasing by word of mouth

Sell the idea

Inviting participants on board - staff and students

Detailed presentation of intent absolutely crucial

Give a clear indication of support and opportunities

Strategy #4 Create a colourful, image laden site Technical elements help capture participants Captivating titles - avoiding cluttered menus Students click clear, easy to read links first Pages & threads need images galore Select images that foster collaborative interaction

Create a colourful, image laden site

Technical elements help capture participants

Captivating titles - avoiding cluttered menus

Students click clear, easy to read links first

Pages & threads need images galore

Select images that foster collaborative interaction

Strategy #5 User Orientation & Navigation Administrators to set up the login Personal emails share login details & link Students find site and initial components Project banners secure them to the ‘right site’ Introductory overviews orientate to hyperlinked next steps Activity#1: introduce yourself in the members Lounge Activity#2: understand mechanics in the orientation zone

User Orientation & Navigation

Administrators to set up the login

Personal emails share login details & link

Students find site and initial components

Project banners secure them to the ‘right site’

Introductory overviews orientate to hyperlinked next steps

Activity#1: introduce yourself in the members Lounge

Activity#2: understand mechanics in the orientation zone

Strategy #6 Experiencing the tools Assume no experience, unless otherwise known Target commonly used components first: forums How to start? Instruct / Read other messages. Insist Use bold to highlight key elements

Experiencing the tools

Assume no experience, unless otherwise known

Target commonly used components first: forums

How to start? Instruct / Read other messages. Insist

Use bold to highlight key elements

Strategy #7a Protocols & Skills: Live chat/workroom Address first, as an actual live chat session Chat: most in danger of abrupt & upset interactions Target patience when waiting for responses Response time = thinking, typing & editing time Live chat = oral equivalent: spelling is irrelevant Write in short bursts - send mid sentence Accept several discussion threads at once

Protocols & Skills: Live chat/workroom

Address first, as an actual live chat session

Chat: most in danger of abrupt & upset interactions

Target patience when waiting for responses

Response time = thinking, typing & editing time

Live chat = oral equivalent: spelling is irrelevant

Write in short bursts - send mid sentence

Accept several discussion threads at once

Strategy #7b Protocols & Skills: Forums Address in the workroom - as a discussion Reply to threads requiring intervention, re: ettiquette Encourage resetting subject threads Encourage basic composition rules - beginning, middle, end Emphasise ending with a question to promote interaction Emphasise revisiting 2-3x a week / checking short cut areas

Protocols & Skills: Forums

Address in the workroom - as a discussion

Reply to threads requiring intervention, re: ettiquette

Encourage resetting subject threads

Encourage basic composition rules - beginning, middle, end

Emphasise ending with a question to promote interaction

Emphasise revisiting 2-3x a week / checking short cut areas

Strategy #8a Develop a sense of community A crucial strategy Students: desire to talk & be social Teachers: keep them well informed Teachers: need to facilitate the learning Students: desire being in charge of their learning The learner-centred paradigm now very evident

Develop a sense of community

A crucial strategy

Students: desire to talk & be social

Teachers: keep them well informed

Teachers: need to facilitate the learning

Students: desire being in charge of their learning

The learner-centred paradigm now very evident

Strategy #8b Developing that sense of community… Community: an ambiguous buzzword Discussion boards + chatrooms only? Learning context: Vehicle for connecting people Connecting stories and experiences Vehicle for mentoring, facilitation, tutoring, teaching Result: extended & enriched learning & knowledge

Developing that sense of community…

Community: an ambiguous buzzword

Discussion boards + chatrooms only?

Learning context:

Vehicle for connecting people

Connecting stories and experiences

Vehicle for mentoring, facilitation, tutoring, teaching

Result: extended & enriched learning & knowledge

Spotlight Community = A TEAM = successful collaboration Invite participants to nominate a team leader Expose skills, knowledge & interests Teams do justice to collaboration: less so the go-solos Integrate various communities/teams together Integration: new audience, knowledge & viewpoints

Community = A TEAM = successful collaboration

Invite participants to nominate a team leader

Expose skills, knowledge & interests

Teams do justice to collaboration: less so the go-solos

Integrate various communities/teams together

Integration: new audience, knowledge & viewpoints

Strategy #9 Seed the collaboration A must for the facilitator A strategy that strengthens a learner-centred focus Post some questions/challenges…then fade out Resist temptation to respond to everything: overkill Engineer further depth through other students Reiterate that students ‘end with a question’ Email invitations to contribute…even just ‘thoughts’

Seed the collaboration

A must for the facilitator

A strategy that strengthens a learner-centred focus

Post some questions/challenges…then fade out

Resist temptation to respond to everything: overkill

Engineer further depth through other students

Reiterate that students ‘end with a question’

Email invitations to contribute…even just ‘thoughts’

Strategy #10a Give enough time: Timelines Reality checks are crucial on eg: 10 weeks 30mins/week x 10 weeks = 5 hours: a school day Is a school day enough time to do a full project? Involve students in assessing weekly time needed Ownership = healthier perspectives on achievement

Give enough time: Timelines

Reality checks are crucial on eg: 10 weeks

30mins/week x 10 weeks = 5 hours: a school day

Is a school day enough time to do a full project?

Involve students in assessing weekly time needed

Ownership = healthier perspectives on achievement

Strategy #10b Give enough time: Forums Single thread: all done within 24-48 hours if full time When collaborating with other classes: 2-3 weeks Schools: have to often cater for shared computers Home: cater for dial-up and family demands Time zones: great application for 24hr time in Maths!

Give enough time: Forums

Single thread: all done within 24-48 hours if full time

When collaborating with other classes: 2-3 weeks

Schools: have to often cater for shared computers

Home: cater for dial-up and family demands

Time zones: great application for 24hr time in Maths!

Strategy #10c Give enough time: Live Chat / Workroom Patience: crucial skill Multi-tasking: encourage during ‘wait time’ Allow 3 minutes before intervening incoming chat Allow for : think time, typing, editing, mentoring time 3 minutes+? Hello? Support usually needed…!

Give enough time: Live Chat / Workroom

Patience: crucial skill

Multi-tasking: encourage during ‘wait time’

Allow 3 minutes before intervening incoming chat

Allow for : think time, typing, editing, mentoring time

3 minutes+? Hello? Support usually needed…!

Strategy #11 Give feedback Risk overkill during the first 2-3 days Give to all student threads / send emails to teachers Verify, support and ‘seed’ further interaction Suggest, recommend, challenge, query, redirect… Avoid direct demands: less depth/replies received

Give feedback

Risk overkill during the first 2-3 days

Give to all student threads / send emails to teachers

Verify, support and ‘seed’ further interaction

Suggest, recommend, challenge, query, redirect…

Avoid direct demands: less depth/replies received

Strategy #12 Ensuring Return Visits: feature… Edification of success evident Seeded next-step action Opportunities for assemblies Mystery guest workroom sessions Treasure Hunt challenges Home page quick link navigation Resistance to restructure site design Ensuring Return Visits: Email highlights ‘ Coming Soon’ items New blood: guests Another audience Learning logs/blogs Feedback to teachers Student leadership

Ensuring Return Visits: feature…

Edification of success evident

Seeded next-step action

Opportunities for assemblies

Mystery guest workroom sessions

Treasure Hunt challenges

Home page quick link navigation

Resistance to restructure site design

Ensuring Return Visits:

Email highlights

‘ Coming Soon’ items

New blood: guests

Another audience

Learning logs/blogs

Feedback to teachers

Student leadership

Good Luck! The 12 Strategies Learn-Now? All evident within a 2 month collaborative programme Ideal strategy: look ahead at the big picture Problem solve all issues through Don’t forget visual and kinesthetic learners Ensure variation & feedback Never be afraid to hand it over to students

The 12 Strategies Learn-Now? All evident within a 2 month collaborative programme

Ideal strategy: look ahead at the big picture

Problem solve all issues through

Don’t forget visual and kinesthetic learners

Ensure variation & feedback

Never be afraid to hand it over to students