RSA #3 Online Learners and using Social Networking Sites

RSA #3 Online Social Networks as Formal Learning Environments:Learner Experiences and Activities By George Veletsianos and Cesar C. Navarrete

Can be viewed here

            Our studies this week talk about how to form a successful online learning environment.  Palloff and Pratt expressed the importance of creating a presence online. This means that participants need to make themselves known online (2007, pg 12).  This can be done in many different ways, but the main way is through the guidance of the professor.  According to Palloff and Pratt, it is the responsibility of the professor to get all of the students participating. This can be done with something as simple as an introduction discussion board (2007, pg 21).

            One example of an Online Learning Community is through social networking. Veletsianos and Navarrete performed a study on the effectiveness of learning on a social networking site (2012, pg144-166). They too found that setting up a social presence was very valuable to the learning community.  One of the participants felt it allowed the participants to get to know each other and allowed a “greater connection to the course” (Veletsianos G. and Navarrete C., 2012, pg 154). The participants expressed a concern on how they presented themselves or how other perceived them.  Some were not happy with the way they presented themselves. One participant expressed that because she was in a class she needed to be formal, and this was not her (Veletsianos G. and Navarrete C., 2012, pg 155).

            There was a direct correlation between the findings of Veletsianos and Navarrete and Palloff and Pratt. Both feel it is necessary for students establish and identity in their class. They also both felt it was a great idea for students to collaborate with one another.    

            On a personal note, one aspect I liked about the article is that it explained the findings of the use of social networking sites as opposed to a platform (an example of Blackboard was given). Not only did it look at the positives of this but also the negatives.  They found that the participants overall liked the use of the Social Networking sites but did find some major flaws with it (Veletsianos G. and Navarrete C., 2012, pg 157).  

References

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: effective strategies for the virtual classroom (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Veletsianos, G., & Navarrete, C. C. (2012). Online Social Networks as Formal Learning Environments: Learner Experiences and Activities. International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 13(1), 144-166.

Free Time

For the first time in over six months I am currently participating in a scheduled free time.  For the past six months I have been working very hard everyday on different aspects of my life- home, work, schooling, being a wife, mother and friend.

I have worked with the Greater Fox River Valley Chapter of Operation Snowball since 1997.  I have been on the volunteer adult staff since fall of 2002.  Operation Snowball is a prevention program for high schools.  The philosophy of the group is if you are a leader you will make the right decisions in regards to drugs and alcohol. 

This is the first time since I was a teen that I am just a participant.  It has been the best weekend of my life.   Normally I am worried about what will happen next or did I plan enough activities. I am just along for the ride this weekend. There really is nothing more rewarding in life than knowing that you have touched the lives of 100 teenagers in a matter of 48 hours by just being myself.

Here is what I have learned so far this weekend.  I can go the distance if I take time to take care for myself.  

RSA #2 When Faculty Assess Integrated Learning: Faculty Inquiry to Improve Learning Community Practice.

RSA #2 When Faculty Assess Integrated Learning: Faculty Inquiry to Improve Learning Community Practice. By: Emily Lardner and Gillies Mallnarich. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, v41 n5 p29-35 Sep-Oct 2009.

Can be viewed Here

            One of the major themes in the readings this week was focusing on how to know what the students are accomplishing.  I was completely intrigued by the different protocols used to assess student learning.  The Harvard’s Project Zero Protocol seemed to be most interesting to me.  I liked the six steps were logical and built on each other.  The six steps are as follows:

1.      Team members examine evidence of student learning and/or examples of student work in silence and take notes on their observations.

2.      The team leader asks, “What did you see?” Members are asked to make factual, nonevaluative statements.

3.      The team leader asks, “What questions does this evidence of student learning raise for you?” Members are asked to speculate about the thought process of students and gaps in their understanding.

4.      Members discuss implications for their teaching.

5.      Members establish action plans to act on their learning

6.      Members share their reactions to and assessment of the meeting.

(DuFour, Dufour, Eaker and Many, 2010, p 188-189)

The problem I came across was that I could not apply this protocol to anything I have done in the past.

            In searching I came across the article that shows how the faculty at Alverno University functions as a PLC and then goes through the protocol to look at integrated learning. Alverno University sets their students up into learning communities.  Lardner and Mallnarch define learning communities as “a cohort of students enrolled in two or more classes in which they experience at least one explicitly designed opportunity for integrative learning (2009, p 30).”  The faculty focusses the discussion in their  PLC on assessing integrated learning.

            The article then expanded on each of the six steps spelled out in Practice by Doing (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker and Many, 2010 p 188-189).  Lardner and Mallnarich divided the six steps into three categories: Getting Aquainted, Zooming in, and Stepping Back (2009, 31-32).  The getting to know you phase asked the professors to look at student work and discuss what they see.  This is the same as steps one and two in Practice by Doing (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker and Many, 2010 p 188-189).  Zooming in  asked the professors to assess the work based on their core principals.  This correlated with steps three and four in Practice by Doing  (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker and Many, 2010 p 188-189). Finally the Zooming out category asked the professors to look at how this will shape their coursework.  This goes right in line with steps 5 and 6 in Practice by Doing (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker and Many, 2010 p 188-189).  

            For me this was a great article for me because it showed a concrete example of how to use the Harvard Project Zero Protocol. 

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: a handbook for professional learning communities at work (Second ed.). Bloomington, Ind.: Solution Tree.

Lardner, E., & Malnarich, G. (2009). When Faculty Assess Integrative Learning: Faculty Inquiry to Improve Learning Community Practice. Change: The Magazine Of Higher Learning, 41(5), 29-35.

RSA #1, Developing and Sustaining Professionalism Within Gifted Education

RSA #1, Developing and Sustaining Professionalism Within Gifted Education. By: Coleman, Mary Ruth, Gallagher, James J., Job, Jennifer, Gifted Child Today, 01/01/2012, Vol. 35, Issue 1

Can be viewed at the following website

            This week we were to focus on the learning. It is important for everyone to focus their time on the missions and goal of the Professional Learning Community (PLC).  Everyone has different strengths they bring to the PLC but it is the job of the leader to keep the community focused while playing to everyone’s strengths. 

            In Developing and Sustaining Professionalism Within Gifted Education (2012), Coleman, Gallagher, and Job explains the “new paradigm of teacher professionalism”. They show a parallel to the professionalism of a doctor.  The doctor never works alone, he/she will work with nurses, other doctors in their practice, and other specialists in order to give their patients the best possible care.  Cole, Gallegher, and Job explain that “the traditional view of the teacher is of a solitary figure at the front of a classroom (2012)”, but the new paradigm is that teachers need to be a part of a collaborative group. The article then went on to describe how the use of collaboration will allow for teachers to identify and teach Gifted and Talented children.  They go through the steps from identification through curriculum development and implementation.  The article then goes through the importance of all of the standards of an effective PLC.

            Coleman, Gallegher and Job enhances the idea of “focus on the learning” presented in DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many’s Learning by Doing . DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many (2012) show that a well-run PLC will allow the teachers the ability to provide the best learning to their students.  The two agree that collaboration with other professionals will not only help the student but will also provide the teachers continuing education. Both agree also that the leaders (administration or state departments) must provide the necessary tools to help the teachers run an effective PLC.

References

Coleman, M. R., Gallagher, J. J., & Job, J. (2012). Developing and Sustaining Professionalism Within Gifted Education. Gifted Child Today, 35(1), 27-36. Retrieved November 3, 2012, from http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=cc5cdf02-7afd-4601-91d2-3635e67dff35%40sessionmgr104&vid=8&hid=113

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: a handbook for professional learning communities at work (Second ed.). Bloomington, Ind.: Solution Tree.