Roles and Responsibilities of the Online Learner

Slideshow Transcript

1. Slide 1: Roles & Responsibilities of the Online Learner Jason F. Rhode, Ph.D.
2. Slide 2: Types of Interaction in Learning  Interaction with content  Textbooks  Instructional presentations  Projects, etc.  Interpersonal interaction  With the instructor  With fellow students
3. Slide 3: The Learning Web Student Peers Student Peers The Learning Web Instructor Technology Technology Instructor Content (Palloff & Pratt, 2001, p. 140)
4. Slide 4: Characteristics of Successful Online Learners  Have basic computer skills and access to technology  Open minded attitude  Not hindered by the absence of auditory or visual cues  Self-motivated and self-disciplined  Willing to commit significant time to their studies weekly
5. Slide 5: Characteristics Successful Online Learners  Team players – can and do work collaboratively  Critical thinkers  Have the ability to reflect and acknowledge those reflections  Hold a belief that high quality learning can happen anywhere and anytime
6. Slide 6: Elements of Online Communities  People  Purposes  Policies  Computer Systems  (Preece, 2000)
7. Slide 7: Two Additional Elements of Online Learning Communities  Collaborative Learning  Reflective Practice
8. Slide 8: The Community Puzzle Faculty Teamwork Facilitation Guidance Mutually Collaborative Negotiated Learning Guidelines Community Focused Outcomes Active creation of knowledge & Shared meaning Goals Buy in Interaction & from Everyone Feedback (Palloff & Pratt, 1999, p. 30)
9. Slide 9: Student Roles in Online Learning Communities  Knowledge Generation  Collaboration  Process Management
10. Slide 10: Student Responsibilities in Community Formation  Openness  Flexibility  Honesty  Willingness to take on responsibility  Willingness to work collaboratively
11. Slide 11: Openness  Sharing details from work and life outside of school  Posting introductions and bios  Creating a social space in the course  Judicious use of chat for socialization  Modeling openness and humor
12. Slide 12: Flexibility  Developing an understanding of the nature of online learning and a willingness to “go with the flow”  Willingness to give-up control and allow learners to take charge of the learning process  Involving learners in co-creating learning opportunities  Orienting students to the roles of the instructor and learners  Reflection opportunities
13. Slide 13: Honesty  Being willing to give and receive feedback and share thoughts and concerns as they arise  Model open, honest communication  Orient students to appropriate communication skills and giving and receiving substantive feedback  Orient students to the realities of online learning  Provide opportunities for feedback, such as posting papers to the course site with the expectation that feedback will be given and received.
14. Slide 14: Willingness to Take the Responsibility for Community Formation  Demonstrating responsibility by taking charge of discussion and other learning activities  Rotate or share the facilitation role with students by asking them to take charge of a week or two of the online discussion  Rotate leadership of small groups  Use a “process monitor,” a student who comments on group process
15. Slide 15: Willingness to Work Collaboratively  Demonstrating the ability to work with peers in discussion as well as in collaborative small group activities  Establish minimum posting requirements and monitor those for compliance  Grade on participation  Post grading rubrics  Use collaborative small group assignments
16. Slide 16: Tips to Achieving Maximum Participation  Be clear about how much time the course will require for students and faculty in order to eliminate potential misunderstandings about course demands.  Teach students about online learning.  As the instructor, be a model of good participation
17. Slide 17: Tips to Achieving Maximum Participation  Be willing to step in and set limits if participation wanes or if the conversation is headed in the wrong direction.  Remember that there are people attached to the words on the screen. Be willing to contact students who are not participating and invite them in.  Create a warm and inviting atmosphere
18. Slide 18: Community – from an Online Student In understanding the notion of online community, I think we must recognize the fact that no matter how attractive the option of being a sponge, it does not build community. Corals build community by each secreting their resources to build the reef and mutually supporting the group.  - Santhi
19. Slide 19: References Berge, Z. L. (1995). Facilitating computer conferencing: Recommendations from the field. Educational Technology, 35(1), 22- 30. Bonk, C., Kirkley, J., Hara, N., & Dennen, V. (2001). Finding the instruction in post secondary online learning: Pedagogical, social, managerial, and technological location. In J. Stephenson (Ed.),Teaching and Learning Online: Pedagogies for new technologies, London, Kogan Page. Hiltz, S. R. (1998) Collaborative learning in asynchronous learning networks: Building learning communities. Paper presented at the WebNet 98 World Conference on the WWW, Orlando, FL. Illinois Online Network (n.d.) What makes a successful online facilitator? Retrieved August 3, 2004, from http://www.ion.illinois.edu/IONresources/onlineLearning/instructorPr ofile.asp Maor, D. (2003). The teacher’s role in developing interaction and reflection in an online learning community. Education Media International, 40(1), 128-136.
20. Slide 20: References Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (1999). Building learning communities in cyberspace: Effective strategies for the online classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2001). Lessons from the cyberspace classroom: The realities of online teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2003). The virtual student: A profile and guide to working with online learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Preece, J. (2000). Online communities: Designing usability, supporting sociability. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.