501 Introduction to On-line Learning
Competencies and Environments
An introduction to fundamental research, theories, design models, and technologies applied to effective online teaching. Students review program expectations and outcomes and define the infrastructure of informed practice for digital learning environments. Copyright, licensing, and appropriate use issues are considered. Learning supported objectives are investigated relative to a diversity of environments.
Course Outcomes Fall 2014 Instructor: Mary O'Neil
- Demonstrate understanding of common terms, definitions and elements related to online environments
- Demonstrate basic competency with design and implementation within a variety of online learning environments and tools
- Understand, design and commit to student success in online learning environments
- Undertake engagement with environments through online facilitation for effective learning
- Critically assess and evaluate resources for best practice in online learning
- Consider responsibility, accountability and civility in online environments
- Integrate current cognitive learning and brain-based learning theory
- Examine current research around best practices
- Research and develop a personal ePortfolio to demonstrate course and program mastery.
- Develop a personal WebSpace to support learning throughout the OLTD program
Concept Map for Philosophy of Learning
Theories and Design Models: Intentional Design for Online Learning
Karen Gadowsky
September 2014
The priority for me when working with children and youth has always been to address their unique learning styles. Therefore, Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence’s theory could be said to be the one theory that I use thematically in all aspects of my practice. In addition, Anthony Gregorc Mind Styles, Myers-Briggs Personality Styles and Bernice McCarthy’s 4Mat theories have all been strong influences in how I integrate learning style theory into my classroom, in a face-to-face environment. Applying Learning Style theory in the online environment poses the extra challenge of not necessarily being able to observe the behavior of students. Often watching how people behave in individual, small group or full class settings reveals much about how they learn best.
Understanding learning differences is paramount in any teaching and learning environment but successful learning facilitation must also include a deep understanding of human development in the psychological, social and physical realms. Of the theorists most recently reviewed, I found Ettienne Wenger to resonate strongly for me. Like Vygotsky, Wenger emphasizes the importance of social engagement as a foundation of learning. Taking the perspective that social interaction is necessary for true meaning-making to occur, creating a socially engaging, distance learning environment becomes a much more complicated matter.
Integrating theory into the reality of any learning environment is largely left up to the practitioner. Michael Moore’s theory about Transactional Distance speaks specifically to this component in as much that he addresses the need for analysis in the interactions that occur in the learner’s environment. He does acknowledge however important environmental factors may be in learning, learning is also affected by the “distance” between learner and teacher that results from location, personality, learning styles, communication and course structure (Marthaler 2011). In an Online learning environment, structures would need to be put in place to specifically address the myriad of interactions that exist, but also to over come the interactions that may be necessary, but do not exist.
When contemplating teaching in an Online (or any) learning environment, responsiveness is key. The ability for the instructor to create activities that meets the needs of the students and that encourages engagement could be seen as the ultimate goal. Responsive action therefore, becomes the lens through which all components of instructional activities are designed. Ideally, the perfect storm for learning would exist at the intersection where content is accessed in ways that attends to the learning styles of the students and how they best need to interact to learn, while maintaining a high level of choice in the how material is conceptualized and how understanding is demonstrated. Three pillars of personalization then, are always considered when cycling through the activities that encourage students to meet the learning outcomes and provide positive results in performance assessments.
Though the Responsive Learning model has “Design” bubbles situated multiple times throughout the learning cycle, the initiating action could be considered the pre-assessment required to find out the types of learners that are assembled. Afterwards, adjustments in course design should be considered based on various forms of feedback the instructor acquires along the continuum of instructional activities that lead the students to provide evidence that they have met the learning outcomes.
References:
Jennifer Marthaler Spring 2011
https://sites.google.com/a/nau.edu/learning-theories-etc547-spring-2011/theory/theory-of-transactional-distance
http://oltd510fall2014blogiste.weebly.com/
Karen Gadowsky
September 2014
The priority for me when working with children and youth has always been to address their unique learning styles. Therefore, Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence’s theory could be said to be the one theory that I use thematically in all aspects of my practice. In addition, Anthony Gregorc Mind Styles, Myers-Briggs Personality Styles and Bernice McCarthy’s 4Mat theories have all been strong influences in how I integrate learning style theory into my classroom, in a face-to-face environment. Applying Learning Style theory in the online environment poses the extra challenge of not necessarily being able to observe the behavior of students. Often watching how people behave in individual, small group or full class settings reveals much about how they learn best.
Understanding learning differences is paramount in any teaching and learning environment but successful learning facilitation must also include a deep understanding of human development in the psychological, social and physical realms. Of the theorists most recently reviewed, I found Ettienne Wenger to resonate strongly for me. Like Vygotsky, Wenger emphasizes the importance of social engagement as a foundation of learning. Taking the perspective that social interaction is necessary for true meaning-making to occur, creating a socially engaging, distance learning environment becomes a much more complicated matter.
Integrating theory into the reality of any learning environment is largely left up to the practitioner. Michael Moore’s theory about Transactional Distance speaks specifically to this component in as much that he addresses the need for analysis in the interactions that occur in the learner’s environment. He does acknowledge however important environmental factors may be in learning, learning is also affected by the “distance” between learner and teacher that results from location, personality, learning styles, communication and course structure (Marthaler 2011). In an Online learning environment, structures would need to be put in place to specifically address the myriad of interactions that exist, but also to over come the interactions that may be necessary, but do not exist.
When contemplating teaching in an Online (or any) learning environment, responsiveness is key. The ability for the instructor to create activities that meets the needs of the students and that encourages engagement could be seen as the ultimate goal. Responsive action therefore, becomes the lens through which all components of instructional activities are designed. Ideally, the perfect storm for learning would exist at the intersection where content is accessed in ways that attends to the learning styles of the students and how they best need to interact to learn, while maintaining a high level of choice in the how material is conceptualized and how understanding is demonstrated. Three pillars of personalization then, are always considered when cycling through the activities that encourage students to meet the learning outcomes and provide positive results in performance assessments.
Though the Responsive Learning model has “Design” bubbles situated multiple times throughout the learning cycle, the initiating action could be considered the pre-assessment required to find out the types of learners that are assembled. Afterwards, adjustments in course design should be considered based on various forms of feedback the instructor acquires along the continuum of instructional activities that lead the students to provide evidence that they have met the learning outcomes.
References:
Jennifer Marthaler Spring 2011
https://sites.google.com/a/nau.edu/learning-theories-etc547-spring-2011/theory/theory-of-transactional-distance
http://oltd510fall2014blogiste.weebly.com/
OLTD Program Learning Outcome Addressed:
Integrate current cognitive learning and brain-based learning theory
Assignment Summary and Reflection:
This assignment was the culminating activity after cohort participants presented various learning theories during our third Saturday class. We were to create concept map that best represented our philosophy of learning and teaching on-line, and additionally, were to provide a personal statement explaining how our vision connected to the learning theories reviewed.
I found this assignment extremely challenging. It was difficult for me to distill all that I do to support and encourage learning into one image and even more demanding for me to inject my values and beliefs without creating an un-navigable mess of shapes, words and arrows! This exercise forced me to be consciously competent, metacognitively mobile and super succinct. Working through the tumult of cross-connecting ideas, eventually I was able to tease out what I thought were the main elements of my philosophy that could represent the gamut somewhat simply. I was not so sure, however, that others viewing my map would concur. I hoped that the statement of explanation would help clarify things for those attempting to make sense of my schema as surely as the process of writing it seemed to solidify things for me.
What became imminently apparent to me was how difficult it would be to create the connection with students in an online environment. Relying heavily on a blend of observation and intuition to "sense" where students sit on the conceptualization continuum in my classroom, I was at a complete loss as to how I might develop this "sense" online. Figuring out how I might create connection and more importantly correctly assess it online was intriguing for me to contemplate and in fact, sparked a new avenue for me to explore.
I have been following neuroscience for over a decade now and am fascinated by what is being discovered. I believe that the research currently being done in neuroscience, especially as related to brain-based learning theory, is an absolute necessity for any educator, but especially those who are moving with technology to provide learning experiences online. Though technology now provides many opportunities for more, there are limitations when learning at a distance that need to be ameliorated. Thoughtful course design and practice informed by current research are steps worth taking, if distance education is to strongly attract learners and leaders alike.
Integrate current cognitive learning and brain-based learning theory
Assignment Summary and Reflection:
This assignment was the culminating activity after cohort participants presented various learning theories during our third Saturday class. We were to create concept map that best represented our philosophy of learning and teaching on-line, and additionally, were to provide a personal statement explaining how our vision connected to the learning theories reviewed.
I found this assignment extremely challenging. It was difficult for me to distill all that I do to support and encourage learning into one image and even more demanding for me to inject my values and beliefs without creating an un-navigable mess of shapes, words and arrows! This exercise forced me to be consciously competent, metacognitively mobile and super succinct. Working through the tumult of cross-connecting ideas, eventually I was able to tease out what I thought were the main elements of my philosophy that could represent the gamut somewhat simply. I was not so sure, however, that others viewing my map would concur. I hoped that the statement of explanation would help clarify things for those attempting to make sense of my schema as surely as the process of writing it seemed to solidify things for me.
What became imminently apparent to me was how difficult it would be to create the connection with students in an online environment. Relying heavily on a blend of observation and intuition to "sense" where students sit on the conceptualization continuum in my classroom, I was at a complete loss as to how I might develop this "sense" online. Figuring out how I might create connection and more importantly correctly assess it online was intriguing for me to contemplate and in fact, sparked a new avenue for me to explore.
I have been following neuroscience for over a decade now and am fascinated by what is being discovered. I believe that the research currently being done in neuroscience, especially as related to brain-based learning theory, is an absolute necessity for any educator, but especially those who are moving with technology to provide learning experiences online. Though technology now provides many opportunities for more, there are limitations when learning at a distance that need to be ameliorated. Thoughtful course design and practice informed by current research are steps worth taking, if distance education is to strongly attract learners and leaders alike.
concept_map_summary.pdf | |
File Size: | 41 kb |
File Type: |
Annotated Bibliography in APA Style
gadowsky_annotated_bibliography.pdf | |
File Size: | 240 kb |
File Type: |
OLTD Program Learning Outcomes Addressed:
Critically assess and evaluate resources for best practice in online learning
Examine current research around best practices
Critically assess and evaluate resources for best practice in online learning
Examine current research around best practices
Assignment Summary and Reflection:
This evidence piece came from the Topic 5 assignment that had us use RefWorks, the online research management, writing and collaboration tool, to create an annotated bibliography of selected journal articles that were to be accessed through ERIC.
I was absolutely astonished with the ease of use of this tool, despite its far reaching functionality. I experienced a few glitches in the beginning, understanding the tracking and filing procedures, but the learning curve was not as steep as I expected. I found myself enjoying re-acquainting myself with how to refine searches and was thrilled with "all the digging" that inevitably lead to unexpected "finds." I was reminded about the wealth of research that is being done, and how interesting researching can be, if done in context and in an area of interest.
As I contemplate leading students through online learning, this assignment made me realize the importance of creating learning activities that enable my students to develop their research competency - both on and off-line! With the abundance of material that can now be found on the Internet, the ability to critically analyze the validity of information is essential. Equally important is to have students review sources of information cited in an article they find, not just for its existence but for the quality of information cited. Far too many posts link "research finds" statements to other articles that are significantly vague and avoid actually citing primary sources. I also need to build learning sequences that helps students understand why they need to think critically about what they read and/or see in all types of media.
This evidence piece came from the Topic 5 assignment that had us use RefWorks, the online research management, writing and collaboration tool, to create an annotated bibliography of selected journal articles that were to be accessed through ERIC.
I was absolutely astonished with the ease of use of this tool, despite its far reaching functionality. I experienced a few glitches in the beginning, understanding the tracking and filing procedures, but the learning curve was not as steep as I expected. I found myself enjoying re-acquainting myself with how to refine searches and was thrilled with "all the digging" that inevitably lead to unexpected "finds." I was reminded about the wealth of research that is being done, and how interesting researching can be, if done in context and in an area of interest.
As I contemplate leading students through online learning, this assignment made me realize the importance of creating learning activities that enable my students to develop their research competency - both on and off-line! With the abundance of material that can now be found on the Internet, the ability to critically analyze the validity of information is essential. Equally important is to have students review sources of information cited in an article they find, not just for its existence but for the quality of information cited. Far too many posts link "research finds" statements to other articles that are significantly vague and avoid actually citing primary sources. I also need to build learning sequences that helps students understand why they need to think critically about what they read and/or see in all types of media.
annotated_bibliography_assignmmet_summary_gadowsky.pdf | |
File Size: | 39 kb |
File Type: |