Major Digital Project EC&I 831

Well my last master’s class is coming to an end.  It is bitter sweet as I am not sure where I will find something else to fill the energy that has been created.  I worry that there will be a void left, or that I will not find the time to continue on my lifelong journey of learning.  I know that I will always be a lifelong learner but will I challenge myself to such high standards as have been required throughout the last year and a half?

In any case for EC&I 831 we had to create a major digital project of our choosing.  What I decided to do was to create a blog for my school.  In my PLC we have been talking about how to increase student success in online learning and one of the items that we talked about was how to generate community with the online teachers throughout the division.  It was our hope that the blog would support our online teachers and empower them to incorporate best practices in their courses that will create a learning community and help to engage students ultimately leading to excellence in learning.

            Ok, creating a blog is not the issue, which is about a 10 minute job.  How do we get online teachers to buy in?  I wanted to create a blog for our school as it would fit the needs of this major project and also the needs of my PLC but this wasn't something that I wanted to be mine.  I wanted this blog to take on a life of it's own where each cyber school teacher felt ownership of and wanted to contribute.  The first step in making that happen was to have our principle talk about the blog at our video conference staff meeting.  She let the staff know about the blog and that we would be discussion some of the posts at our meetings.  The first meeting we had generated some interest but we ran into issues such as schools not being able to access blogs. 
           
            The content of the blog to date has ranged from teaching practices such as creating meaningful online discussions and how to get participation in online classes, to providing useful resources such as how to site Creative Commons pictures and how to do a proper bibliography.  Many of the articles that were presented on our school blog I took further and elaborated on them in this blog such as using the CREST model to write Effective Discussion Board Questions.

          I did create a place on the blog for commen assessment items but I it has not been added to and at this point I am not sure if there is interest.  I will leave up the tab but it may have to be another initiative to get people to post resources to the blog.  Right now the focus is on generating traffic to the site and getting people participating in the discussion.  There is also a site for plagiarism resources with a few items there.  I added a document on how to use compfight and imagecodr (information from one of our ECI class sessions) as well as a good website that explains what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.  Again, I am not sure at this point that people see the blog as a place to get resources but as long as we are generating discussion then I think that we are on the right track.

There were initially two of us committed to posting to the blog and trying to generate interest.  I tweeted the blog each time a new post came up and my principle would send out an e-mail to all of the Cyber School teachers.  At our school staff meetings we were going to go through the book What if your ABC's were your 123's.  One of the other staff members suggested that we post up a summary of each of the chapters on our blog as we discussed them.  This seemed to be the turning point for the blog. 

The first blog entry on the book was done by our school math lead teacher and she did such a good job (and I think she enjoyed writing it) that we volunteered her to write each of the blog entries for the book.  I e-mailed out to our entire division the blog telling them about our chapter summaries, since it is a book that our entire division is suppose to be reading. Our technology  teacher sent an e-mail out to the publisher of the book to see if the author wanted to post to our blog, and the rest is history.  We had our last staff meeting and there was excellent discussion around our division math initiatives and the blog supported that conversation and learning. 

Where as I still post to the blog on average of once a week, reply to each person’s postings, and try to generate traffic through twitter and e-mail, the blog is not mine.  It truly has taken a life of its own where other people have taken ownership and are looking forward to creating that professional community. 

Our school blog can be found at http://chinookcyberschool.wordpress.com/

More Research on Why Blogs and Wikis are Effective for the Classroom

  by  Ross Mayfield 

I have previously blogged about using blogs and wikis in the classroom (see previous posts on wikis and blogs ) but in this post I want to share a bit more about the pedagogy behind their use in the classroom.

In a time where teachers may be questioning their own technological skill it is important to remember that not only are today’s student ‘tech-savvy’ but and already proficient with social networking and interacting online “so most students not only understand how to use Web 2.0 teaching tools, they thrive in the environment when Web communication solutions are integrated in the classroom”  (Driscoll, 2007, p.10).  So in case you haven't tried using blogs in your classroom yet, here is yet more compelling research to encourage you to give blogs a try.

 

Moundridou and Goulioti’s (2010) study found that 73% of students  “felt that the blog helped then understand the corresponding topics of the lesson" and “nearly 2/3 of the students stated that the blogging activities made them feel closer to their classmates through supporting each other in learning” (p. 6).  The instructors in their study found that “the blog managed to gain students’ attention and interest and motivated them to work on the activities, ask questions and participate in both online and in-class discussions” (p. 7).  

Moundridouand Goulioti (2010) site the following benefits of using blogs: They can be used as a student portfolio and a collaboration tool.  They allow students to reflect on their thoughts before they publish their work.  Blogging can connect students with an unlimited amount of expertise that would not otherwise be available (the teacher can invite experts to comment on students blogs), and “the interactive nature of blogging motivates students to write and communicate” (pg. 3).  They commented that due to a number of factors such as time and curriculum that not all students get to comment in class and they may feel as though they have to compete to participate, where as a blog gives them the time and space to have their voice heard (pg. 3).

“Given that many online students miss the face-to-face contact realized in a traditional classroom, blogging offers particularly opportunities for learner-centered feedback and dialogue” and further to that “the opportunities for each student to post substantive comments to other students’ blog entries add an additional tier of interactivity and social interaction” (Glogoff, pg.1-2, 2005).

A good rule of thumb when using student blogs in the online classroom is to make sure that the students blogs receive feedback. Glogoff (2005)reported that students will have a tendency to quickly abandon their blogs.  He offered guidelines and suggestions for students in the line of requiring students to make three comments on others blogs each week to ensure participation and validation of students’ work (pg. 3).  

In a search for effective web tools to use in the online classroom wikis show up as relatively easy free tool that allows users to readily upload and share resources and information.  Many learning management systems have been “criticized for being too static and do not take into account the diverse learning needs of the students” (Laughton, 2011).  

Laughton (2011) found that wikis have a slight edge over traditional learning management systems (LMS) due to the fact that they “strongly encourage interaction and communication amongst the learners” compounded by the fact that no cost or license is needed to use the software and that they are flexible and easy to use.  This source does however site the shortfall of wikis in that they do not have extensive administrative tools.  Hazari, North, and Moreland, (pg. 189, n.d.) also note that grading of assignments on a wiki can be a challenge.  This is one reason that for the Visual Art 20 online course that I created I use both a wiki and the LMS Moodle to deliver the course as it allows the discussions and grading of assignments to occur in a closed private space.

Wikis also allow students to co-construct knowledge and publish their knowledge in a public domain for others to view and learn from.  Caverly and Ward (2008) site this opportunity as a “powerful teachable moment” (pg. 36) Students and instructors can, with ease, contribute to discussion boards, collaborate, and track progress and contribution (Hazari, North, and Moreland, pg 189).  

 Good teaching develops reciprocity and cooperation among students, encourages active learning, gives prompt feedback, emphasizes time on task, communicates high expectations, and respects diverse talents and ways of learning.  Some of these principles can be used when developing Wiki-based instruction.  Technology has initiated an overall shift in pedagogical emphasis from teaching to learning (Hazari, North, and Moreland,pg 190). 

For a closer look at how wikis and blogs are being used in the classroom click on any of the links listed below:

• Visual Art 20 Wiki- Chinook Cyber School
• Mr. Soskil's Class Wiki
• Mrs. Poulin's Blog
• Mrs. Lynch's Classroom Blog

Other Resources not linked above:

Driscoll, K. (2007), “Collaboration In Today’s Classroom: New Web Tools Change

 The Game” Multimedia & Internet @ Schools, Vol. 14, No. 3, p.9-12

 

Laughton, P. (2011). The use of wikis as alternatives to learning content

management systems. The Electronic Library, 29(2), 225-225-235. doi:10.1108/

Onsite Support Person Instrumental

  by  enriqueburgosgarcia 

Perhaps I am using this blog post as a way to say loud and clear that the role of the On-Site Facilitator or support person is very important.  I want to shout it from the rooftops:  A key factor for the success of an online student is the on-site facilitator. You are valuable!  I wonder why so often this partnership between Cyber Schools and the home school is weak.  How can we support the support people? I think that for some there are unclear boundaries as to what their role is, perhaps they have been given no extra time to support their students (it is seen as an extra job that they don’t  have time for), or no one ever trained them in their role.  I don’t think that it is a natural God given talent to be a good on-site facilitator.  Since my PLC goal is to increase online student success I need to be looking at all of the areas that contribute to an online student’s success and focus on how to strengthen it. 

In de la Varre, Keane, and Irvin’s research, Dual Perspectives on the Contribution of On-Site Facilitators to Teaching Presence in a Blended Learning Environment,  they look at the role of the On-Site facilitator through interviews with both online teachers and their facilitators. 

In their article(pg. 2) they site that Roblyer, Freeman, Stabler, and Scheidmiller (2007, pg. 11) found “ the role of the facilitator is critical.  Students at remote sites are less independent than first thought and a facilitator should be available…to offer support and guidance”.  They discuss in the article, and I also see it in my role as an online educator, that it is ideal if the on-site facilitators are knowledgeable in their role and that they have had some training on how to support the online learning environment; however, that is not always the case.  In my school division it varies from school to school as to who the on-site facilitator is.  It could be the librarian, an educational assistant, a teacher, or the principle.  The students in our division are not allowed to enroll unless there is a support person listed for each student.  In many cases a person is listed but the reality of how much they are willing or expected to assist varies from being given scheduled time to help the student to it being one more thing on a long list where distance learning falls to the bottom.

I found it very interesting that de la Varre et al. (p. 3) state that “from the learner’s perspective, the student is in a blended learning environment even when a course is delivered completely online, because the local setting influences the student’s online experience”.   

“Students in an online course are constantly traversing the space between the virtual and the local learning context and teaching presence cannot be isolated to the virtual domain.  The assumption often made that when a student takes an online course it is entirely the responsibility of the instructor and the overall course structure to create a viable learning community.  However, K-12 students take virtual courses in other learning contexts, i.e., the school classroom, library, or home-school environment. As one instructor noted, “People forget these are high school kids. You can’t just say ‘there’s your computer; now I’m going to sit here and ignore you.’” (p. 12)

 This is what their research through interviews of on-site facilitators and online educators says in terms of the roles and responsibilities:

On-Site Facilitator’s Role:

·         Student Support- “listen, be supportive and accessible, but not stand in the way of what the instructor does” (p. 8)

·          Establishing and maintaining relationships with the students

·         Encouraging, acknowledging, or reinforcing student contributions.  They cited that “these were necessary to guide students through two simultaneous and challenging learning experiences: academic rigor and online learning” (p. 8)

·          “Keep current with students’ assignments, be knowledgeable about the course schedule and content, and communicate regularly with the instructor” (p. 9)

·         Encourage the students to contact their teacher directly

The roles for the support people as outlined by the Chinook Cyber School are:

• Track students' progress and reporting to the school's administration when a drop might be necessary
• Monitor progress of students and ensuring the timely completion and submission of course work.  Students should be handing work in regularly as part of continuous feedback.  Leaving all work to the end of the course for hand in limits the student's opportunity for self assessment and improvement.
• Communicate student progress to school administration, especially if there are concerns
• Ensure students have all the necessary materials for their courses

de la Verre et al. argue that the above learner support is vital along and that along with on-site facilitator training, there should also be a conversation at the beginning of each course with the on-site facilitator and instructor to talk about things such as communication preferences, facilitator to student support, local school issues, and anything else that may affect the learning of the student. 

I would certainly note that from my own personal experience the school support is much more effective if the teacher and the support person establish a relationship outside of just contacting each other when things are going wrong.  As part of our PLC to increase online student success we are trying to make it out to the support schools to meet the support people face to face as well as to include them in any student intervention through adobe connect.  We are trying to create a team environment rather than an us vs them attitude.  If there can be a partnership between the home school and the distance learning school where there are positive interactions focusing on the support and success of the student then the entire distance learning experience is much smoother. 

What strategies to you have for building that relationship between the distance learning school and the on-site school?  The sink or swim model would certainly be easier that trying to create a PLC for online students but the student PLC is so critical for student success.  Support people play a such a key role in online student success.  Do you think they know that they are key players in student success?  How can they be supported?

Increasing Student Success in Online Classes

This year my PLC goal is to increase the success of online students.  We first had to brainstorm what we felt a successful online student looked and in complement to that what the components of a successful online course looked like.

The model that we came up with for online learners was similar to Mazlow’s hierarchy of needs.  We had the basic needs at the bottom to be a successful online student and unless these were met the further levels of student success were not going to be met.  So for example, if a student was not handing in assignments (bottom level) there was no point in trying to address academic excellence until the student could hand in an assignment. 

It was from this pyramid that we developed our PLC goal of trying to address the bottom level of student needs first.  So we asked ourselves if we were setting our students up for success in the first place.  How could we make sure that before a student even enters into an online course that we have set them up for success?  To be honest, there have been times and students that I have felt that we set up for failure:  online learning did not fit into their learning style, the student wasn’t an independent learner, no time in the school day was allotted for the course, etc. 

As I dove further into the research I was surprised to see that I was not alone with the issue of student retention and success. 

In Ivan L. Harell II’s article Increasing the Success of Online Students he addresses five issues:  “student readiness, student orientation, student support, instructor preparation and support, and course structure”.  The article goes on to give specific suggestions for the first three.

·        Determine if students are ready to be online learners. 

o       Fast Track consulting would suggest that left brain, visual learners would learn best in an online environment.

o       Dewar and Whittington would suggest that introverts would be more successful than their extroverted counterparts because they would not need the ‘social presence’.

o       Manochehr’s research suggested that “Assimilator (these learn best through lecture, papers and analogies) and Converger (these learn best through laboratories, field work and observations) did better with the e-learning method…students with learning styles Accommodator (these learn best through simulations and case study) and Diverger (these learn best through brainstorming and logs) received better results with traditional instructor-based learning” (p. 13)

o       Harrell suggested that “Institutions may consider the possibility of limiting enrolment to those who are not considered to be at-risk students and who have the characteristics that are needed to be successful in online courses”.

·        Ensure that there is a student Orientation

o       In Wojciechowski and Palmer’s (2005) study they found that “The second greatest factor (for online success) was that of having attended an orientation session for the class”, the greatest factor being GPA.

o       Harrell quoted Bauman P. (2002) as saying “Bauman (2002) wrote that after offering a required, week-long online orientation “bootcamp,” students reported increased confidence levels, decreased experience with technical problems, and better preparation to take their first online course.  The course also allowed faculty to focus more on course content, instead of spending class time educating students on how to properly navigate the online environment.”

·        Provide Student Support

o       Provide technical support

o       “providing online opportunities for students to become involved in student government forums, learning communities, and study groups”

o       Providing students with mentors to help them through the course

Our action plan for increasing student success at the Chinook Cyber School has three components:

Setting up our students for success

·        Create a pre-course for online students to identify if they are good candidates for online learning.

·        Create a database of tutorials for students, support people, and teachers to help with any technology issues and to create a unity between course expectations

·        Create clear course descriptions for every course so that the students are clear about what time and skill requirements are necessary before they register in a course.

Supporting students who are not learning

·        Create a plagiarism course for students.

·        Setting up video conferences for student who are struggling

Building a team environment with other schools/ supporting the support people

·        Visiting the support schools, support people, and students in person at least once in a semester.

Supporting our online teachers

·        Create a CCS blog for online teachers that addresses the issues involved with online learning (supporting our online teachers to implement best teaching practices)

I think that perhaps we have set lofty goals for ourselves but we are so excited about moving forward and providing the best education possible for our students.

What are other strategies that you use to increase student retention or success in your school?