Slides from my CNIE2011 Presentation Titled: Enhancing Learning Environments: the use & value of artefacts in online learning environments

1. Stuart C Berry Doctoral Candidate - Athabasca University May 17, 2011 Enhancing Learning Environments: Making course archives available for current and future learning

2. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Enhancing Learning Environments: Making course archives available for current and future learning

3. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Evolution of an Existing Online Course From One Iteration to the Next The Course Archive Start with clean environment Removed - Lost Course Iteration 1 Course Iteration 2 Course Materials Course materials Assignments Assignments Class Contributions

4. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Enhancing Learning Environments: Making course archives available for current and future learning How can we capture, use, and reuse artifacts contained within course archives created as a result of the ongoing interaction of learners within networked, online learning environments?

7. Defining Terms The Use and Value of an Online Archive

8. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Artifacts Artifacts are everything that is recorded and captured as a result of the interactions of all of the participants of the online course. Artifacts includes contributions from the teacher, learners, and all materials brought into the learning environment.

9. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Artifacts Artifacts can include threaded discussions, files including assignments or external objects, blog postings, synchronous and asynchronous conversations. This includes items added in current or past sections of a course.

10. The Use and Value of an Online Archive The Archive An archive is a non-linear repository. Artifacts contained in an archive are not necessarily held within a single location. An archive is an overarching term encompassing a themed but disconnected group of objects.

11. The Use and Value of an Online Archive The Archive An archive is an organic and evolving repository of artifacts that becomes a dynamic part of a course.

12. The Use and Value of an Online Archive The Archive The nature of an online learning environment generally determines the location and relationship of the artifacts within the archive. Structured environment “LMS” Versus Open environment “Social Networked or Mediated”

13. Theoretical Foundation The Use and Value of an Online Archive

15. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Theoretical Foundation of Study Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory: … maps out different paths by which organizations create and capture the process of knowledge generation.

16. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Theoretical Foundation of Study Organizational knowledge creation theory: … examines the processes inherent in knowledge creation including elements believed necessary to support the generation of new knowledge while ensuring that these knowledge processes become embedded in the organization allowing for continued knowledge growth and development.

17. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Theoretical Foundation of Study Organizational knowledge creation theory: “ A central purpose of organizational knowledge creation theory is to identify conditions enabling knowledge creation in order to improve innovation and learning” (Nonaka, von Krogh, & Voelpel, 2006, p. 1185).

18. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Theoretical Foundation of Study Organizational knowledge creation theory: The use of course artifacts by current and future learners are potentially enabling conditions for the development of knowledge and related processes required to support knowledge creation in the online classroom.

19. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Theoretical Foundation of Study Examine the process of knowledge creation in online learning environments Can this theory be applicable within another domain?i.e. From management to education

20. Research Questions The Use and Value of an Online Archive

22. Research Methodology and Environment The Use and Value of an Online Archive

24. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Model “ First, generating theory to solve authentic problems is one of the major goals in design-based research. Second, regarding the roles of the participants, in design-based research, researchers usually take the initiative in the research process as both researchers and designers” (Wang & Hannafin, 2005). http://projects.coe.uga.edu/dbr/explain02. htm

25. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Model The design-based research model supports interventions in existing environments with the intent of developing new theories and practices to influence learning and teaching in natural settings (Barab & Squire, 2004).

26. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Environment The Intervention: Redesign elements of two consecutive sections of an online Master’s course. Alter course to have learners use content of an existing two year course archive held within a bounded social networked learning environment (ELGG**) and add their artifacts in the process. (** an open source social networking platform)

27. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Environment ELGG (an open source social networking platform)

29. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Environment Access Controls

30. Research Themes and Challenges The Use and Value of an Online Archive

38. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Challenges The archive has targeted value as long as the time spent results in a direct benefit to the learner in the course.

39. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Challenges Developing New Theories and Practices What elements are needed to build a course that contains a meaningful archive that has a high ease-of-use factor, is searchable/accessible, and contains evidence of the tacit and explicit understandings of learners and ultimately supports learners as they learn from those who went before?

40. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Research Challenges Developing New Theories and Practices “ If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” (Isaac Newton)

41. The Use and Value of an Online Archive Future Online Courses Developing New Theories and Practices The Course Archive a living resource Dynamic, Growing, Evolving Course Iteration 1 Course Iteration 2 Course Materials Course materials Assignments Assignments Class Contributions

43. Enhancing Learning Environments: Making course archives available for current and future learning Thank You --- Questions? Discussion? Stuart C Berry [email_address] May 17, 2011