Building Online Learning Communities Lessons Learned from the Development of a Web Based Forest Farming Course Paul Treadwell, Ken Mudge, Louise Buck, Rebecca Hargrave October 2007 – CCE System Conference

Learning Communities Learning communities can: Facilitate new learning Encourage connections Invite participation Online learning communities : Expand accessibility Diminish some barriers Create new connections

Learning communities can:

Facilitate new learning

Encourage connections

Invite participation

Online learning communities :

Expand accessibility

Diminish some barriers

Create new connections

The beginning HWWFF version 1 A learning “module” developed as part of The National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Landowners Video intensive approach to demonstrate practice

HWWFF version 1

A learning “module” developed as part of The National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Landowners

Video intensive approach to demonstrate practice

A little history SARE funding to support the development of a “learning community” based on the HWWFF Partnership with Penn State Innovative approach to content development and delivery Relatively undeveloped content area

SARE funding to support the development of a “learning community” based on the HWWFF

Partnership with Penn State

Innovative approach to content development and delivery

Relatively undeveloped content area

Importance of community and collaboration. Social Process Mentor relationships and scaffolding Creation of a shared culture

Social Process

Mentor relationships and scaffolding

Creation of a shared culture

Encouraging collaboration Tools we deployed to facilitate collaboration: Discussion board Wiki Blog Learning Content Management System

Tools we deployed to facilitate collaboration:

Discussion board

Wiki

Blog

Learning Content Management System

The IMFIRP The Internet-mediated Forest Farming Instructional Resource Package (IMFIRP) Based on Moodle Community and collaboration tools Social Presence Discussion boards File sharing

The Internet-mediated Forest Farming Instructional Resource Package (IMFIRP)

Based on Moodle

Community and collaboration tools

Social Presence

Discussion boards

File sharing

Contextual Challenges Disconnect between expectations and reality Sporadic Participation Backsliding – email usage Difficulties in encouraging participation Lack of motivation Lack of familiarity/comfort with hardware/software Lack of bandwidth

Disconnect between expectations and reality

Sporadic Participation

Backsliding – email usage

Difficulties in encouraging participation

Lack of motivation

Lack of familiarity/comfort with hardware/software

Lack of bandwidth

“Ownership” and Community Who “owns” the content developed in community? Collaborative necessities Boundaries Rules Trust

Who “owns” the content developed in community?

Collaborative necessities

Boundaries

Rules

Trust

Necessity drives development Encroaching deadlines Reporting and grant requirements Narrowing of collaborative “sphere” Phase One needs: Development New content Pilot course Evaluation and assessment tools Identification and Requirements Extension Educators Landowners

Encroaching deadlines

Reporting and grant requirements

Narrowing of collaborative “sphere”

Phase One needs:

Development

New content

Pilot course

Evaluation and assessment tools

Identification and Requirements

Extension Educators

Landowners

HWWFF resource center The new “resource center” re-organized content navigation aides new tools created

The new “resource center”

re-organized content

navigation aides

new tools created

New content developments Site assessment workbook and case study Online presentation of skills Downloadable workbook Case study workbook

Site assessment workbook and case study

Online presentation of skills

Downloadable workbook

Case study workbook

The pilot The pilot course was conducted using Moodle 9 week course 3 parallel courses– 20 educators and 65 forest owners participated Pre and post course surveys

The pilot course was conducted using Moodle

9 week course

3 parallel courses– 20 educators and 65 forest owners participated

Pre and post course surveys

Evaluating progress Formative evaluation. Pre and Post survey Access logs Activity logs

Formative evaluation.

Pre and Post survey

Access logs

Activity logs

Analysis The surveys were designed to evaluate the usability of the content and the delivery system Analysis revealed a significant relationship between connection speed and perceived ease of use of MOODLE No significant relationship between previous experience and comfort level with technology and perceived ease of use Additional survey data and results will be made available this autumn

The surveys were designed to evaluate the usability of the content and the delivery system

Analysis revealed a significant relationship between connection speed and perceived ease of use of MOODLE

No significant relationship between previous experience and comfort level with technology and perceived ease of use

Additional survey data and results will be made available this autumn

Lessons learned The introduction of new technologies to educators was problematic Existing skill set is insufficiently developed Success requires: Focus on skills development Structured learning experiences for educators

The introduction of new technologies to educators was problematic

Existing skill set is insufficiently developed

Success requires:

Focus on skills development

Structured learning experiences for educators

HWWTFFO The HWWTFFO provided a systematic approach to working with forest farming content to create distance learning courses Facilitated by trust and personal relationships Educators enjoyed “learning by doing” Mentor relationships essential

The HWWTFFO provided a systematic approach to working with forest farming content to create distance learning courses

Facilitated by trust and personal relationships

Educators enjoyed “learning by doing”

Mentor relationships essential

Bandwidth Bandwidth can be a substantial barrier to successful engagement online Strategies to compensate for “narrowband” connections include: Providing alternative paths to bandwidth intensive elements Maintaining an awareness of the technical capacity of participants Flexibility in content development and delivery

Bandwidth can be a substantial barrier to successful engagement online

Strategies to compensate for “narrowband” connections include:

Providing alternative paths to bandwidth intensive elements

Maintaining an awareness of the technical capacity of participants

Flexibility in content development and delivery

Applying the lessons Growing awareness of the “digital divide” Discussion and creative engagement are needed around this issue CCE Online Instructor Certification program

Growing awareness of the “digital divide”

Discussion and creative engagement are needed around this issue

CCE Online Instructor Certification program

An online learning community? During the pilot phase elements of community were apparent: Discussion boards provided a space for interaction Landowners recruited for the pilot had a local connection with educators – the online course facilitated access to broader expertise and experience With one exception no longer term “community” developed out of the project

During the pilot phase elements of community were apparent:

Discussion boards provided a space for interaction

Landowners recruited for the pilot had a local connection with educators – the online course facilitated access to broader expertise and experience

With one exception no longer term “community” developed out of the project

What about the landowners? Landowners participated in the pilot to evaluate the content Impact of content on practice: Post course follow up received responses from 16 landowners Longer term follow-up needed

Landowners participated in the pilot to evaluate the content

Impact of content on practice:

Post course follow up received responses from 16 landowners

Longer term follow-up needed

After SARE The How, When and Why of Forest Farming is being offered by a CCE educator, on an on-going basis The CCE Instructor Certification program has been instituted Data gathered from the pilot is being used to guide new course development

The How, When and Why of Forest Farming is being offered by a CCE educator, on an on-going basis

The CCE Instructor Certification program has been instituted

Data gathered from the pilot is being used to guide new course development

Always growing The HWWFF resource center continues to grow as more is learned

The HWWFF resource center continues to grow as more is learned

Contact us Ken Mudge – [email_address] Paul Treadwell – [email_address] Louise Buck – [email_address] Rebecca Hargrave – [email_address] The How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource center http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/ The How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource center http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/InstructorsGuide/

Ken Mudge – [email_address]

Paul Treadwell – [email_address]

Louise Buck – [email_address]

Rebecca Hargrave – [email_address]

The How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource center

http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/

The How, When and Why of Forest Farming resource center

http://hwwff.cce.cornell.edu/InstructorsGuide/