3. It is often mentioned that socializing is the
first and most important step in creating
an effective online learning environment,
but, what do we mean with socialization
and why is it important to create a socially
rich environment?
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4. The
first differentiation that needs to be
made is that socialization is not the goal
on a learning environment; creating a
social environment is.
A
social environment is defined as “a
group of individuals who collaboratively
engage in purposeful critical discourse
and reflection to construct meaning and
confirm mutual understanding.” (Garrison,
2007)
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5. In this online social connection the
participants are able to:
Identify themselves with the group they are in.
Communicative trustfully with their partners.
Express their individuality.
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6. One of the main reasons to pay attention to the
idea of a creating a social environment in online
learning is motivation. It is considered that many
students feel unmotivated by the sense of
isolation, which can be improved by creating a
trusting learning environment, which will provide
the student with a sense of affective design that
will capture the learner‟s attention, will make
them comfortable and will give them
encourage to perform better.
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7. Moreover, when students have a high social
presence the following factors are present:
I.
the learner is more satisfied
II.
they perceive the instructor as more
effective
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III.
achievement is improved
9. Suggestion 1: “Complete my profile
and add 3, 2, 1 extra questions
Tutor completes profile, modelling what is
expected
b) SS complete their profile, to become
accustomed to platform and add 3,2,1
c) Include 3 “alternative” type questions to reveal
more personal and potentially curious
information that could generate a genuine
interest to communicate
a)
10. When I got my
coaching
certification,
(Fiona)
1
I‟m not very fit, so it was a great
achievement for me when I
managed to get to the top of this
mountain after 2.5 hours and
accompanied by a painful knee
injury.
(Carla)
Tell us about one of your greatest achievements.
One of my
greatest
achievements is
when I gave up
smoking, 2 years
ago. This is me in
Capo Verde on
honeymoon,
when I still
smoked!
(Janie)
11. 2
Click on the images
to see what we
have in store!
This was last summer on
the beach in Sanlucar,
Cadiz, Spain. My
husband had planned
a surprise holiday and
this was something I
had always wanted to
see.
(Fiona)
I was brought up in
Oman and I always
feel at home when I
return to this
beautiful country.
(Janie)
Post one of your videos which has a special memory attached
to it or one of your favourite You Tube clips. Tell us why this is
special or memorable to you.
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12. If you worked in a zoo, which animal would you like to look
after and why?
3
I‟d love to look after the
pandas, they are just
the most adorable
creatures ever and I
have been fortunate
enough to see one in
Shanghai
(Carla).
Without a doubt,
these amazing
creatures, they are
so intellligent and
approachable and
I‟d love to swim with
them in the water
(Fiona)
A giraffe of course!.
They are graceful
and unique. Did
you know they had
black-blue
tongues!!!
(Janie)
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14. B. How will we interact? Are we in this
together?
"Photo taken from http://flickr.com/eltpics by @CintiaStella
used under a CC Attribution Non-Commercial
license, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/"
16. Quickmail instructions
Each student is given a list by the tutor and has to
contact the person below them via email and
comment on something that they found interesting
from their partner‟s profile + (3,2,1, etc.)
They should remember to follow up any mail they
receive
(this ensures everyone sends and receives mail)
N.B. The activity is dependant on participants following each other‟s
activity before they can complete the task.
17. Suggestion 4: Theme thread on a discussion
forum
"Photo taken from http://flickr.com/eltpics by
@purple_steph
The Top 5
18. The Top 5 – task instructions
The students receive a model from the tutor of their top 5 things
(places, things, people, events etc.)
Students post their own Top 5 on a new entry in corresponding
discussion forum and make sure they reply to at least one other entry
from one of the other participants.
The tutor provides a summary to round off the activity, although the
content could easily be followed on by a number of activities, quiz
etc.
19. The Top 5
Can you match a
picture to our own
discussion threads –
without peeping!
(a few have 2 owners)
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20. Discussion forum follow on ideas:
Use information to make a quiz in week 2
(Can be made more fun doing it as memory game, how many
times do they need to refer back to originals.? Note: if students
posted a picture with their thread, these pictures could later be
tested – can the students remember specific related information?)
Content used as per suggestion 3 – using quickmail
Important: tutor should respond quickly to each thread, showing
presence and interest and to encourage the same kind of
supportive behaviour from other students.
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21. C. How do I know I can trust the instructor and
other students?
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23. Suggestion 5:
Task-based research and reflection: stages
Tutor sets task with clear instructions for complete process and sources for research
stage
Student collects necessary information, reflects and makes a written contribution to
the pre-established wiki forum, taking care not to post ideas that have already been
covered
The group provides a single document using colour codes for each student
Tutor provides a summary in one of a variety of ways: listing main points, quoting key
ideas from students (including all of them), diagram, etc.
Note: as students have to read each other‟s work to complete the task they observe
how all their ideas collate to a single working document. By providing a
comprehensive summary, the tutor provides invaluable listening skills, support, a
framework and signals the completion of the task
25. 1
1. Tutor sets staged task to
working groups with clear
instructions for how to
complete the process, to
whom they need to send their
contribution, deadlines for
completion of different stages
and sources for research
stage.
2. Each Student researches a part
of a thread and each working
group has a specific area to work
on within a common group
thread (note: useful for doing
summary work on a finished unit
or area of study)
2
26. 3. Each student sends their
contribution to the allocated student
in their group. By the established
deadline all students should receive
all the contributions from their
working team.
Students then post a summary of the
group‟s ideas to the assigned
discussion forum
3
4
4. Tutor provides a summary in
one of a variety of ways: listing
main points, chronological posting
of contributions, quoting key
ideas from students (or not-)
including all of them, diagram,
etc.
27. The role of the tutor in online
socialising
We are going to consider the role of the tutor in online socialising under
the following areas:
Orientation – time for planning and planning for time
Modelling – behaviour and netiquette
Presence - interest and interaction
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28. Orientation
A new course participant (CPs) might find
themselves nervously asking.....
Who is on the course?
are they like?
we interact?
How do I know I can trust them?
Will we work together?
As a tutors we can address these What
concerns before they arise......... How will
(Wilcoxon 2011)
By planning tasks that allow CPs time to get to
know each other, the virtual learning
environment and the technology.
29. As illustrated, there are a great many tasks and tools available to use
for socialising purposes. As the tutor, we can select socialising tasks
and tools that mirror or might be used during the course or as a
platform for course work.
This would allow the course participants an opportunity to
meaningfully „try out‟ new media or programmes. This period of
orientation is fundamental as it allows CPs to get to grips with the
basics before they have to produce any course work but, as we
have explored, it is also key to establishing and building the
community.
As the tutor, making sure you plan for, include and allow time for
orientation and socialising tasks is your first job.
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30. But.........before your CPs gain access to the
VLE and start their socialising tasks make sure
they can see how it is done.
Modelling: tutors need to provide CPs with clear expectations of
behaviour and guidance on how to complete tasks.
Netiquette: negotiate the rules of the community and how participants
are expected to communicate with each other. Encourage CPs to
be responsible for the „mood‟ of the VLE from the word go. As the
tutor, provide a model of how to communicate. Ensure you conduct
yourself in the way you expect the participants to behave.
31. Tasks: be sure to complete socialising tasks yourself. Not only does it
provide a model for the CPs but it highlights how you are willing to
be part of the community.
It allows the CPs to get to know you but also highlights the ability to
be selective about what personal information we release. Kevin
Wilcoxon describes privacy and trust as having a symbiotic
relationship.
“Students rank instructor modeling as the most important element in
building online community (Vesely et. al., 2007).” (Wilcoxon 2011)
Wilcoxon, K. Building An Online Learning Community Learning Solutions
Magazine 03/10/2011
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Google images 24/10/13
32. “privacy builds trust, and trust eases privacy concerns. Privacy means
we have the power to reveal information about ourselves selectively
and to negotiate social relationships in a manner we feel
comfortable with. Trust involves the choice to expose oneself to risk
before others, in the expectation that they will not disappoint your
expectation.”
(Wilcoxon: 2011)
By completing the tasks, e.g. Top Five, you, the tutor, are
demonstrating willingness to trust the course participants
Wilcoxon, K. Building An Online Learning Community Learning Solutions
Magazine 03/10/2011
Image retrieved from
Google images 24/10/13
33. But then what....?
Your CPs are going through the first few tasks, getting
to know each other...
As the tutor you are establishing your presence. CPs want and need to
see you, to know that you are interested, reading what they
contribute and that they are doing things right.
You are interacting, creating/ maintaining dialogue
You are satisfying that basic need of security and belonging (Wilcoxon
2011) and the objective is to encourage CPs to feel safe enough to
express their thoughts and ideas.
Wilcoxon, K. Building An Online Learning Community Learning Solutions
Magazine 03/10/2011
Image retrieved from
Google images
24/10/13
34. “Despite the tendency to shut ourselves
away and sit in Rodinesque isolation
when we have to learn, learning is a
remarkably social process. Social groups
provide the resources for their members
to learn” (Brown, Duguid, 2000, p.137).
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