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Preventing Boundaries in Online Education Through Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit
- 1. Preventing Boundaries in Online Education Through Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit Romona Banks, PhD 2022 Psych Club Symposium February 1-4, 2022
- 2. Agenda Define and discuss Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit Discuss examples of and elaborate on Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit tips Share student and instructor success tips
- 3. Social Connectedness and Collaborative Spirit Defined Social Connectedness “The measure of how people come together and interact” (Wikipedia, para 1, n.d.). “The relationships people have with others and the benefits these relationships can bring to the individual as well as to society” (Social Report, para 1, 2010). Collaborative Spirit “The process of two or more people or organizations working together to realize shared goals”, (Wikipedia, para 1, 2016). “Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social”, (Wikipedia, para 2, 2016).
- 4. Ineffective Online Student Experience
- 5. Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit Social Connectedness An interesting and engaging Instructor Profile Welcome message to students Embedding a Learning Styles Inventory in the Welcome message Ongoing advising messages Collaborative Spirit Sharing Quotes/Inspirations Incorporating Real Life Events Incorporating Poll Everywhere Providing engaging feedback: “The Sandwich” Effect
- 6. Instructor Profile Profile Example Home Page of Canvas Greetings Everyone, My name is Romona Banks, you can call me Mrs./Instructor/Professor Banks. I hail from North Carolina by way of South Carolina. I obtained my bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from South Carolina State University, my Masters in Business Administration (concentration in Human Resources) from Strayer University and my doctoral degree in Psychology (concentration in Organizational Psychology) from Walden University (Research Title: Selected Predictors of Youth Development in Boys and Girls clubs). My research interests are inclusive to predictors of positive youth development (motivation and success), enhancing the e-learning/distance learning process, sustainability of nonprofit organizations and predictors of workplace performance. My professional experiences consist of the National Guard (Army and Air), a facilitator for nonprofit organizations, and banking/financial management from 1998-2010; I then transitioned from the financial field and began to instruct traditional (face to face) Organizational Behavior courses. For the past three years I have been instructing General and Social Psychology and Community Organizing and Development online courses. I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE this method of instruction; however, at times I do miss the traditional classroom experience. In addition to having the pleasure to instruct at ITT Technical Institute, I am also a Career and Life Coach and volunteer for two nonprofit organizations. My husband and I love to travel in our spare time. We also love watching movies (we are huge Marvel and DC Comic fans), we also enjoy television series (our favorite shows are Ray Donovan, Game of Thrones, Vikings, Orphan Black, House of Cards, Black Box, Fargo, Happy Valley, Sense 8, Elementary, and Dare Devil-Netflix series, and So You Think You Can Dance). I also love to collect coin and exercise (I love yoga, jazzercise and walking in the park). I look forward to your introductions, discussions and assignments! Anytime that you have a question regarding the course, please don't hesitate to contact me via the, "Ask The Instructor" or email. Prof. Banks
- 7. Welcome Message in a Liquid Syllabus
- 9. Advising Messages Just checking in! You are doing a great job! You are failing the course! Here is a strategy to catch up!
- 10. Inspirations and Quotes Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care. ~Theodore Roosevelt The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William Arthur Ward
- 11. Incorporating Real-Life Events or Movies Movie Clips Understanding Concepts: Upward and Downward Social Comparison
- 12. Using Poll Everyone to Engage Your Students
- 14. Student and Instructor Success Online Students’ Time Management Tips (U.S. News Education, 2014) Instructor Engagement: 8 Lessons Learned from Teaching Online (Educause, 2013) Limit distractions Set aside time Communicate with your instructor Create a calendar High-Touch is more important than High-Tech Establish social presence Use technology intentionally The power of external resources Make expectations explicit Fun playfulness and the unexpected Login regularly Personal feedback
- 15. Scan QR Code for 2016 Presentation
- 16. References Belinkie, M. (2008). 40 inspirational speeches in 2 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qI Bixler, B. (n.d.). Learning styles inventory. http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm Canvas LMS. (2015). Humanizing online instruction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us7w1b7UVwU Education Planner. (2011). Learning styles quiz. http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml Educause. (2013). 8 Lessons learned from teaching online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4BG4Me7TU FacilitadorTube. (2010). E-learning: How to deliver an engaging virtual classroom presentation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxY22IhbaH4 Faulkner, B. (2013). The Devil Wears Prada downward social comparison. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3gGkiWSzvg Kulowiec, G. (2011). EdTech Teacher Poll Everywhere tutorial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZwPL8Ef-CY Getzlaf, B., Perry, B., Toffner, G., Lamarche, K., & Edwards, M. (2009). Effective instructor feedback: Perceptions of online graduate students. Journal Of Educators Online, 6(2). Instructure. (2022). Liquid Syllabus Examples. https://ccconlineed.instructure.com/courses/6771/pages/examples?module_item_id=31 6219
- 17. References Lane, E. (2015). Collaborative Spirit of Millennial Generation may benefit Big Science. http://www.aaas.org/news/collaborative-spirit-millennial-generation-may-benefit-big-science McDaniel, A. (2009). Online student experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWPI35WGsTc Newton PM and Miah M (2017) Evidence-Based Higher Education – Is the Learning Styles ‘Myth’ Important? Front. Psychol. 8:444. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00444 Pacansky-Brock, M. (2021). The liquid syllabus: An anti-racist teaching element. Colleague 2 Colleague Magazine, 1(15). Pacansky-Brock, M. (2017). Best practices for teaching with emerging technologies, (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. Pacansky-Brock, M. (2014, August 13). The Liquid Syllabus: Are you ready?, [blog post]. https://brocansky.com/humanizing/liquidsyllabus Smith, V., & Palenque, S. (2015). Ten Tips for More Efficient and Effective Grading. http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/educational- assessment/ten-tips-efficient-effective-grading/ Spread-The-Word. (2013). Ten free online proofreading tools. http://www.spread-the-word.co.za/free- proofreading-tools/ SquaredOnline. (2015). The Squared Online student experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlPoJfXDgqc TED. (2012). Daphne Koller: What we’re learning from online education. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6FvJ6jMGHU The Penguin Prof. (2010). How to manage time, reduce stress and increase happiness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4YVLkuRBe8 The Social Report. (2010). Social connectedness. http://socialreport.msd.govt.nz/social-connectedness/ U.S. News Education. (2014). Online students share time management tips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2FWUQvlths Wikipedia. (2016). Collaborative Spirit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaboration Wikipedia. (2015). Social connectedness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_connectedness
Editor's Notes
- Greetings Everyone, it is my pleasure to present to you Preventing Boundaries in Online Education Through Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit. This presentation was shared as a poster presentation at the Stanford University Psych One Conference on July 14, 2016, and as an e-Poster presentation at the Ashford University TLC in 2019. Many of these tools can be integrated in any face-to-face (F2F) or online course to provide social connectedness and a collaborative spirit.
- Distance education has continued to evolve since its origin in the early 1900s. Distance education is of great benefit, in that it provides a flexible and creative connection to learning that may not be accessible traditionally due to several external factors (i.e., funding, crowded classrooms, military duties, or work-life balance). Although distance education provides several benefits, there are two factors that can hinder the experience, the lack of Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit. This presentation defines Social Connectedness and Collaborative Spirit and provides elements that can be used to integrate both concepts (i.e., providing a personable instructor profile and welcome message, a learning styles inventory as an ice breaker, weekly advising messages and quotes to students, incorporating movies and poll everywhere to engage student learning, and providing useful feedback), each element can offer the online student a more personable learning experience. The Agenda will address the following: we will define and discuss Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit, discuss examples of and elaborate on Social Connectedness and Collaborative Spirit tips that can be implemented within the course, and share student and instructor success tips as takeaways.
- Social Connectedness is defined as “the measure of how people come together and interact” (Wikipedia, para 1, n.d.). “The relationships people have with others and the benefits these relationships can bring to the individual as well as to society” (Social Report, para 1, 2010). Collaborative Spirit is defined as “The process of two or more people or organizations working together to realize shared goals” (Wikipedia, para 1, 2016). “Most collaborations require leadership, although the form of leadership can be social” (Wikipedia, para 2, 2016).
- This video provides a thought-provoking example of what an online student may experience during a course that offers very little engagement/collaboration from peers or instructor presence. For the sake of time, I will fast forward through the video as I discuss it, however, the gist of the video is that the student is provided instructions on assignments that should be completed throughout the course with no other collaboration. I appreciate the demonstration of the student’s perspective, this provides insight that I may not notice as an online instructor (I share information/weekly announcements, grade assignments, and respond to emails, while doing so I may not be proactively engaging the student). As we continue to watch the video, it goes on to demonstrate that every day the student attends the course, he's just instructed to read a chapter, there is no other information or collaboration involved. Although it's important for our students to think critically about/understand concepts, it is also advantageous for them to also collaborate, doing so may assist them in feeling more invested in the course. Collaboration can be established by integrating certain resources. In the next slide I will share themes that instructors can implement to connect/collaborate with their students within the on-line course. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWPI35WGsTc
- I integrate the following elements of Social Connectedness and a Collaborative Spirit within my course to build a rapport with my students. Regarding Social Connectedness, I do the following: I provide an interesting and engaging Instructor Profile (i.e. in addition to any required information, I also share that I am a Marvel and DC fan, more so Marvel than DC, and that I like to travel and do Jazzercise, I believe that sharing this information could assist the student in knowing that I am a “real” person in this cyberspace world and that I am approachable). I share a Welcome message to students via an Announcement post, as we are required to, and a personal email. In addition to providing an engaging Instructor Profile, emailing a welcome message to each student provides a more engaging experience that makes the instructor approachable and opens the lines of communication/provides a welcoming environment for the student. We could also embed a Learning Style Inventory in the Welcome message. I understand that there is controversy regarding Learning Styles (Newton & Miah, 2017), however, this activity is not mandatory, and it is used as an icebreaker during the first week of the course. You are more than welcome to use this/any other meaningful activity that you believe will engage your students during the first week of the course. I also provide ongoing advising messages (i.e. during Week 3 I check-in with all my students regarding their current status within the course, if need be, I follow up again during Week 4/at the beginning of Week 5). I believe that the advising messages makes the student aware that we are trying to connect with them and are willing to work with them to ensure that they successfully complete the course, and they are also provided the opportunity to ask any questions that may assist them in doing so. Incorporating a Collaborative Spirit: I LOVE sharing quotes/inspirations throughout the course. As a means of inspiring and motivating my students, I share quotes/inspirations every Wednesday via Signalz. Many of my students appreciate the quotes and inform me of such (I believe that sharing quotes creates meaningful engagement between the instructor and student, and possibly inspires the student to successfully complete the course). The use of real-life events could benefit our students in fully understanding concepts/theories or think critically about the concepts/theories. I believe that Poll Everywhere is a wonderful icebreaker activity during the first week of the course (i.e. a poll could be created requesting that each of your students pin what country/state they are from, if they are comfortable doing so, during the Introduction posts each student’s country/state could be mentioned, I have no doubt that a few students will mention the incidental similarities that they share, this activity may also spark further conversation between the students/each student could share their favorite book or movie). Providing timely feedback that includes in-text feedback may be very engaging for the student. If our students receive feedback before the next assignment is due, it may assist them in understanding what is needed/expected of a future assignment. In addition, including in-text feedback may provide the student with a clear understanding of how they need to approach future assignments. I believe that “The Sandwich” effect is a wonderful way to provide feedback, it not only offers constructive feedback, but it may also motivate the student to ask questions/think more critically about future assignments. I will elaborate on each of the Social Connectedness and Collaborative Spirit elements previously mentioned in the following slides.
- For the sake of time, I am not going to read my Instructor Profile, I will scroll through it below as it may not be clearly viewable in the slide. My Instructor Profile/updated version of it is stated somewhat as follows: Greetings Everyone, My name is Romona Banks, you can call me Mrs./Instructor/Professor Banks. I hail from North Carolina by way of South Carolina. I obtained my bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from South Carolina State University, my Masters in Business Administration (concentration in Human Resources) from Strayer University and my doctoral degree in Psychology (concentration in Organizational Psychology) from Walden University (Research Title: Selected Predictors of Youth Development in Boys and Girls clubs). My research interests are inclusive to predictors of positive youth development (motivation and success), enhancing the e-learning/distance learning process, sustainability of nonprofit organizations and predictors of workplace performance. My professional experiences consist of the National Guard (Army and Air), a facilitator for nonprofit organizations, and banking/financial management from 1998-2010; I then transitioned from the financial field and began to instruct traditional (face to face) Organizational Behavior courses. I instruct General and Social Psychology and Community Organizing and Development online courses. I admit that I absolutely LOVE teaching online courses, however, at times I do miss the traditional classroom experience. In addition to having the pleasure to instruct at UAGC, I am also a Career and Life Coach and volunteer for two nonprofit organizations. My husband and I love to travel in our spare time. We also love watching movies (we are huge Marvel and DC Comic fans), we also enjoy television series (our favorite shows are Ray Donovan, Game of Thrones, Vikings, Orphan Black, House of Cards, Black Box, Fargo, Happy Valley, Sense 8, Elementary, Dare Devil-Netflix series, and So You Think You Can Dance). I also love to collect coin and exercise (I love yoga and Jazzercise). I look forward to your introductions, discussions and assignments! Anytime that you have a question regarding the course, please don't hesitate to contact me. Prof. Banks
- What is a “Liquid Syllabus”? Michelle Pacansky-Brock (2020, 2014, 2017) defines it as a humanizing element that ensures students start a course feeling supported by their instructor. Although the UAGC course syllabus is included within Canvas before the course begins, the Welcome message/Instructor Profile is a crucial factor in providing instructor-student rapport during that first day/week of the course, this engaging element is controlled by the instructor. In this slide, a snapshot of Pacansky-Brook’s (2014) Welcome message is shared in her Liquid Syllabus, I have also shared a few more examples in the references. Many of these examples can be used as a means of Social Connectedness or a Collaborative Spirit, especially if they motivate student engagement.
- The Learning Style Inventory in this slide can be found at Educationplanner.org http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml As I stated previously, there has been some controversy regarding Learning Style Inventories. The purpose of this activity is to engage the students during the first day/week of the course. Therefore, any activity that may be a good icebreaker activity can/should be used to gain rapport and motivate engagement, it does not have to be this activity. I like the Learning Styles Inventory activity because I can relate to the purpose of it, and I have an experience tied to the inventory that I can share with my students during that first week of the course.
- I send at least three advising messages to my students per course (more, if they are in jeopardy of failing the course). I also include their current average in the course in the advising messages (in addition, I provide a strategy on how we can get caught up on assignments). Either of the three messages could be shared: 1) Just checking in! Please let me know if you have any questions about the course/assignments, 2) You are doing a great job! Your current average is 85%, please let me know if you have any questions, or 3) You are failing the course! Here is a strategy to catch up: Please complete Weeks 1 and 2 discussion forums, please complete and submit Week 1 research assignment and Week 2 research and analysis assignments and by or before Week 9 please complete and submit any remaining overdue assignments. Please let me know if you have any questions.
- The ironic part about sharing weekly quotes and inspirations with my students is that they also help to inspire and motivate ME!!! Many of my students have told me that they really appreciate the quotes and inspirations. I believe that adding this aspect to your course could also, like previously mentioned factors, not only make you approachable but also inspire/motivate your students to complete the course.
- I believe that for our students to gain a full understanding of concepts/theories they may need to apply them to real-life situations/events. Applying concepts/theories to real-life situations/events may assist our students in thinking critically about a topic, that real-life situation/event may assist them in understanding how/why the concept/theory is relevant to their life/profession. The clip on the left that has been playing is an inspiration that can be shared anytime during the course to provide the student with inspiration/motivation, this is a means of connecting/engaging with the student during the course, this activity can be posted as an Announcement/within the weekly discussion forum/as an email. The clip on the right provides an example of demonstrating upward and downward social comparison.
- As previously stated, Poll Everywhere could be used as an icebreaker during the first week of the course. A few of the questions that could be presented are as follows: 1) Where are you from (please place a pin on the map indicating your home state)? 2) What topic are you most interested in learning during this course? 3) What was your learning environment like? and 4) What was your school experience like?
- These slides can be found on Slide Share http://www.slideshare.net/coachfeliciab/why-is-assessment-feedback-important-innovative-ways-to-grade The Student’s Perspective: Why is it necessary for me to submit this assignment? After I receive feedback, will I know how to complete all future assignments. I don’t understand the feedback! Should I question my grade? The Instructor’s Perspective: If I post it, will they read it? 100 papers down, 200 more to go! Is this feedback helping my students’ progression? How to Incorporate Engaging Feedback: Inform your students of the free Library and Writing Center tools that are provided for them by sharing them as an Announcement/in your feedback within Waypoint. I believe that Grammarly is one of many student tools that UAGC offers, it may assist the student in finding their academic voice through suggested corrections of grammar. 10 Tips For More Efficient and Effective Grading One and Done: Mention the error and explain how to correct it once. Bank Comments: Keep a bank of comments about frequent errors students make and organize them in groups for easy access. Frontload Feedback: Write comments students can apply to future assignments. Global Comments vs. Local Corrections: If a student has written the paper in the incorrect genre/form in their first draft, comment minimally on local-level issues, grammar, format, etc., and instead focus comments on global issues. For example, if the student writes a summary of a work, and the assignment asks for an analysis instead, then it is best to comment globally (Smith & Palenque, 2015). KISS (Keep It Simple for Students): When making grading a teachable moment, be sure comments do not become so convoluted as to impair learning (Smith & Palenque, 2015). Attitude and Approach: Make student learning the primary goal. According to Getzlaf et al. (2009) effective feedback is a mutual process involving both student and instructor. Conscious Use of Comments: According to Getzlaf et al., (2009), effective feedback is applicable to future situations. Avoid Surprises: Publish or distribute rubrics well in advance of assignment due dates so that students know how their papers will be evaluated (Smith & Palenque, 2015). Less is More: Instructors should avoid the temptation to respond to everything that calls for adjustments or changes. Questions for Reflection: Consider inviting reflective, critical thinking and further conversation in a productive, scholarly exchange with the student. Instead of telling students what they did wrong, ask them to rethink their approach. For example, consider using a phrase such as, What is the most interesting aspect of your essay? What would draw your attention to this topic, as a reader? This way, the student is not only prompted to make more thoughtful revisions, but also is given tools to use when considering how to write a hook for future essays (Smith & Palenque).
- The following tips could be implemented within a student-centered environment to establish/increase social connectedness and a collaborative spirit, Student tips: Limit distractions (try to find a quiet place where you can study/focus/complete a mindfulness activity), set aside time to complete important tasks (I share an example of a weekly course assignment timeline at the beginning of the course as an Announcement), communicate with your professor (I understand that life happens and that many of my students are not making excuses for why they have not submitted their assignments, this is why it is imperative that when any assignments may be submitted late that it is communicated to the instructor so that an action plan can be created), and create a calendar (doing so could assist with effective time management). Instructor tips: High-touch is more important than high-tech (i.e. instructor presence, immediate communication/timely feedback/a Welcome message the first day of course) is very relevant in setting the tone within the online course, more so than incorporating apps/other technology, establish social presence (many of the previous Social Connectedness/Collaborative Spirit elements that I have shared can be implemented to increase social presence), use technology intentionally (there are many apps that may be fun to use within the online learning environment, however, they should only be implemented to increase critical thought/further engage our students when necessary), external resources, such as case studies/TED Talks, can enhance the learning experience, assignment instructions/student expectations should be made clear the very first week of the course/as our students seek assistance/ask questions throughout the course, I believe that providing a fun fact about yourself in the Instructor Profile/a light and respectful joke in the discussion forum, that will not offend anyone, are great examples of fun playfulness and can create a Collaborative Spirit within the online learning environment; we should also be prepared for any technical difficulties (i.e. students not being able to access Waypoint for a certain length of time), we should make our students aware as soon as possible and let them know the technical difficulties will have no bearing on their grade, login to the course as often as possible (immediate responses to our student’s questions make such a difference, it alleviates a lot of stress/uncertainty), and provide personal feedback (the rubric is a wonderful quantitative tool for feedback, however, I like to incorporate personal feedback in the margins of Waypoint assignments; I try to provide the personal feedback in all written assignments, however, that is not always possible, but the very first assignment each of my students submit includes personal feedback in addition to the rubric).
- Just case if you are interested in the 2016 presentation, here is the QR Code link to the YouTube video presentation created on July 6, 2016, the weblink also follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORCPARgSQ_E
- Here is a list of my references. Thank you so much for listening to my presentation, it is greatly appreciated!