Students will use this page to reflect on this course (see my example below):
Reflective Practices
- Describe any experiences in this course that were personally meaningful.
I really enjoyed working at my own speed. All the assignments were posted and most where clear which permitted me to move ahead. I've found that I work more efficiently by myself due to others posting work late which delays me moving forward with my work
How will you use the experiences in this course to shape your online teaching practices?
This course has taught me a lot about working in teams and finding ways to work with students who are workers but not group workers. Learning about the teacher’s voice and how it can reflect on the learner’s attitude.
- How does participation in this course help you with your professional goals? What suggestions do you have for improving this course?
At some point in the near future it is my feeling that schools will become at least sixty percent virtual. This course has taken me one step closer to being able to participate in that type of an environment.
Wayne
Students will discover theoretical framework for learning and the type of learner they are.
In this module you will make discoveries about the theoretical framework and implementation of online learning by:
· Reading the article, Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning and taking an online quiz
· Comparing and contrasting Behaviorist, Cognitivist, and Constructivist learning theories
· Classifying examples of online learning activities that reflect each of the three theories of learning
· Reading an article on Information Literacy and outlining ways that students can evaluate web resources for accuracy
Objectives: The learner will be able to:
- Demonstrate use of the cognitive technique, Chunking
- Analyze Behaviorist, Cognitivist, and Constructivist learning theories
- Classify examples of online learning activities as Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism
- Evaluate web-based information for accuracy and identify other information literacy indicators
Assignments:
- Blackboard Quiz: Theoretical Frameworks for Online Learning; Assessment: Blackboard Quiz Score; 12 pts
- Classification of Online Learning Activities as Behaviorist, Cognitivist, and Constructivist; Assessment: Discussion Forum Rubric; 8 pts
- Information Literacy – Identify the characteristics of information literate students and provide strategies for promoting information literacy in online learning. Assessment: Discussion Forum Rubric; 5 pts
Reading Assignment
Congratulations! You’ve completed Module 1 and have made yourself at home with new friends in our online learning environment.
Module 2: Why It Works
In Module 2 we’re going to develop an understanding of the theories that guide the practice of teaching online. I decided to cover this early in the course – I like to think of it as having the vegetables that are really good for us before having dessert!
Step One: Locate the article
Our reference material is Chapter 1: Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning from the book, Theory and Practice of Online Learning.
You can find the article in the attached file or online at http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/pdf/TPOL_chp01.pdf
Step Two: Divide and conquer
This is a lengthy article full of useful information and diagrams.
We’re going to use a cognitive technique called “Chunking” to make this assignment manageable. Chunking refers to the brain’s ability to move information into long term memory if it is organized in recognizable patterns or small sets of information. (That’s why your phone number and social security numbers are hyphenated!)
As you digest each chunk of the article, I’ve included the relevant questions that will appear in your online quiz. Be sure to highlight the answers to these questions as you read through each chunk, so when you take your online quiz, you’ll have your “cheat sheet” ready!
Chunk 1: Introduction (pages 3 – 7)
1. “Doing it right” means that online learning materials must be designed properly, with the learners and learning in focus, and that adequate support must be provided.
Describe some of the benefits of online learning.
1. For learners, online learning knows no time zones, and location and distance are not an issue.
2. In asynchronous online learning, students can access the online materials at anytime, while synchronous online learning allows for real time interaction between students and the instructor.
3. Use the Internet to access up-to-date and relevant learning materials, and can communicate with experts.
4. For the instructor, tutoring can be done at anytime and from anywhere. Online materials can be updated, and learners are able to see the changes at once. When learners are able to access materials on the Internet, it is easier for instructors to direct them to appropriate information based on their needs.
Learners learn best when they can contextualize what they learn for immediate application and to acquire personal meaning.
Three schools of thought can in fact be used as taxonomy for learning. Behaviorists’ strategies can be used to teach the “what” (facts), cognitive strategies can be used to teach the “how” (processes and principles), and constructivist strategies can be used to teach the “why” (higher level thinking that promotes personal meaning and situated and contextual learning).
Chunk 2: Behaviorist and Cognitive School of Learning Part 1 (pages 8 – 13)
learning. The sequencing could take the form of simple to
complex, known to unknown, and knowledge to application.
How should information be organized to facilitate processing?
Online learning strategies must present the materials and use strategies to enable students to process the materials efficiently. Since working memory has limited capacity, information should be organized or chunked in pieces of appropriate size to facilitate processing. According to Miller (1956), because humans have limited short-term memory capacity, information should be grouped into meaningful sequences.
What are the four implications for online learning from the Cognitivist perspective?
· Strategies should be used to allow learners to perceive and attend to the information so that it can be transferred to working memory.
· Strategies should be used to allow learners to retrieve existing information from long-term memory to help make sense of the new information.
· Information should be chunked to prevent overload during processing in working memory
· Other strategies that promote deep processing should be used to help transfer information to long-term storage.
Chunk 3: Cognitive School of Learning Part 2 (pages 14 – 17)
Describe the Keller ARCS model for motivating learners.
Keller proposed a model (ARCS—attention,
relevance, confidence, satisfaction) for motivating learners
during learning (Keller, 1983; Keller & Suzuki, 1988).
Attention: Capture the learners’ attention at the start of the
lesson and maintain it throughout the lesson. The online
learning materials must include an activity at the start of the
learning session to connect with the learners.
Relevance: Inform learners of the importance of the lesson and
how taking the lesson could benefit them. Strategies could include
describing how learners will benefit from taking the lesson, and
how they can use what they learn in real-life situations. This
strategy helps to contextualize the learning and make it more
meaningful, thereby maintaining interest throughout the learning
session.
Confidence: Use strategies such as designing for success and
informing learners of the lesson expectations. Design for success
by sequencing from simple to complex, or known to unknown,
and use a competency-based approach where learners are given
the opportunity to use different strategies to complete the lesson.
Inform learners of the lesson outcome and provide ongoing
encouragement to complete the lesson.
Satisfaction: Provide feedback on performance and allow
learners to apply what they learn in real-life situations. Learners
like to know how they are doing, and they like to contextualize
what they are learning by applying the information in real life.
9. Encourage learners to use their metacognitive skills to help in
the learning process (Meyer, 1998, Sternberg, 1998).
Metacognition is a learner’s ability to be aware of his or her
cognitive capabilities and use these capabilities to learn. When
learning online, learners should be given the opportunity to
reflect on what they are learning, collaborate with other
learners, and to check their progress. Self-check questions and
exercises with feedback throughout a lesson are good strategies
to allow learners to check how they are doing, so that they can
use their metacognitive skills to adjust their learning approach if
necessary.
10. Online strategies that facilitate the transfer of learning should
be used to encourage application in different and real-life
situations. Simulation of the real situation, using real-life cases,
should be part of the lesson. Also, learners should be given the
opportunity to complete assignments and projects that use reallife
applications and information. Transfer to real-life situations
could assist the learners to develop personal meaning and
contextualize the information.
Chunk 4: Constructivist School of Learning (pages 18 – 22)
Constructivists see learners as being active rather than passive.
Knowledge is not received from the outside or from someone else;
rather, it is the individual learner’s interpretation and processing of
what is received through the senses that creates knowledge. The
learner is the center of the learning, with the instructor playing an
advising and facilitating role. Learners should be allowed to
construct knowledge rather than being given knowledge through
instruction (Duffy & Cunningham, 1996). A major emphasis of
constructivists is situated learning, which sees learning as
contextual. Learning activities that allow learners to contextualize
the information should be used in online instruction. If the
information has to be applied in many contexts, then learning
strategies that promote multi-contextual learning should be used to
make sure that learners can indeed apply the information broadly.
Learning is moving away from one-way instruction to construction and discovery of knowledge (Tapscott, 1998).
Different kinds of interaction will promote learning at different levels.
According to the levels of interaction in online learning, what are the three types of Learner-support interaction?
Learner Preparation, Learner Activities, Learner Interaction, Learner Transfer
Wayne Wollaston
1/11/11
Information Literacy- 5 points
Read through some of the article on information literacy and respond to the Discussion Forum posting -- Identify the characteristics of information literate students and provide strategies for promoting information literacy in online learning.
There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly will usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after. -J.R.R. Tolkien
Information Literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information." Developing these critical skills creates the foundation for lifelong learning. (American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. Chicago: American Library Association, 1989)
Students entering college bring with them a diverse range of technological capabilities and various ideas on what constitutes ‘good information.’ While some are intimidated by technology, others feel very comfortable with their skill levels. As educators we have a shared obligation to not only inform students about the resources available to them, but to train and guide them on how to effectively and efficiently access current, accurate, and authoritative information.
An information literate student should be able to:
· Effectively use library resources and services
· Access information in various formats
· Develop successful search strategies
· Articulate their information need
· Analyze and evaluate information
· Critically think about the research process
As I researched the web pages of The University of Toledo Libraries I came across some of the above information. My research confirmed that students of all ages need to learn how to explore the web and develop their skills of traversing the World Wide Web. Therefore, it is our job to teach students how to conduct online research. I have in my classroom developed a WebQuest which was designed to have students explore a variety of websites, including “bogus” sites, and note their characteristics. The aim of this Web Quest was to develop my student's ability to critically assess a website to determine if the author is an authority on the subject matter or not. Each year I have had the experience of reading a student's research efforts and thinking to myself, "where did he get this stuff"? I have come to the conclusion that the student just didn't know how to sift through the chaffe to find the wheat. If you would like to view my WebQuest it can be found at http://questgarden.com/93/98/2/091225234039/
Strategies for promoting information literacy in online learning.
As teachers we must teach our digitally literate students step by step how to create and publish video images, create and run a blog, share links to meaningful and innovative content, edit multimedia files and documents, build profiles appropriately on social networking sites and, most importantly, adapt and incorporate new communications technologies into their daily life. Not only this but share with students how to safely work and conduct business on line. The nature of technology is one of constant evolution, and it is the user who knows how to maximize the efficacy of digital tools that will be able to adapt.
Within the context of learning how to create digital media content and tools, we need to look beyond what is already here and turn our eyes to what is coming. Web 2.0 – the read/write, view/create Internet that is increasingly dominated by user‐generated content – is now firmly established as a part of our lives. What will Web 3.0 bring?
This is a courtesy copy of the quiz to help you to prepare. You must access the online version of the quiz in the Online Quiz folder and complete it. Your grade will automatically be posted to your online grades feature.
Please note that the questions and/or the answer choices for the online quiz will probably not be presented in the order in which they appear here!
1. What does “doing it right” entail?
a. Ensuring that students have volumes of reading assignments and essays to write for their online course
b. Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us.
c. Known as D.I.R., it’s a set of circumstances in which one finds oneself in deep trouble.
d. Online learning materials are designed properly with learners and learning in focus and that adequate support is provided.
2. Describe some of the benefits of online learning.
a. Great deals on great merchandise at discounted prices!
b. Time and location are not an issue and instruction can be asynchronous as well as synchronous.
c. Learners are locked into specific locations and strict schedules.
d. Situated learning is not facilitated.
3. The development of effective online learning materials should be based on what?
a. Proven and sound learning theories
b. Surveys found in People magazine
c. Lower thinking level activities
d. Schools of thought
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the implications for online learning from the Behaviorist perspective?
a. Learners should be told the explicit outcomes of the learning so they can set expectations.
b. Learners do not have to be tested to determine if they have met the learning outcome.
c. Learning materials must be sequenced appropriately to promote learning.
d. Learners must be provided with feedback so that they can monitor how they are doing and take corrective action if needed.
5. How should information be organized to facilitate processing?
a. Information should be disseminated in large quantities since humans have limitless memory capacity.
b. On notecards in antique recipe boxes.
c. Information should be organized and chunked in pieces of appropriate size to facilitate processing.
d. In 12 – 15 meaningful units to compensate for limited capacity.
6. Which one of these is NOT an implication for online learning from the Cognitivist perspective?
a. Strategies should be used to allow learners to perceive and attend to the information so that it can be transferred to working memory.
b. Important information should be placed in the top right corner of the screen for reading.
c. Strategies should be used to allow learners to retrieve existing information from long term memory to help make sense of new information.
d. Strategies that promote deep processing should be used to help transfer information to long-term storage.
7. What is the difference between field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles?
a. Field-dependent learners need Astroturf to perform.
b. Field-independent learners are social butterflies and learn best in large interactive groups.
c. Field-independent learners are likely to learn more effectively under conditions of intrinsic motivation and Field-dependent learners have a greater social orientation.
d. Field-dependent and Field-independent learners should not be allowed to take the same online course.
8. According to Keller ARCS motivation model stands for…
a. Attention Remediation Cognitive Satisfaction
b. Attention Relevance Confidence Saturation
c. Attention Relevance Confidence Satisfaction
d. Attitude Relevance Confidence Satisfaction
9. What are some strategies to enhance metacognition?
a. Meta-dating
b. Meta-tation and levi-tation
c. Self-checking and exercises with feedback
d. High protein diet
10. Which of the following does NOT enhance learning from a Constructivist perspective?
a. Learners should allow their instructors to construct knowledge for them.
b. Collaborative and cooperative learning should be encouraged to facilitate constructivist learning.
c. Learners should be given control of the learning process.
d. Learning should be made meaningful to learners.
11. Why should learning be interactive?
a. To enable learners to have more free time for socializing
b. To promote greater eye-hand and spatial visualization coordination.
c. To drive field-independent learners insane.
d. To promote higher-level learning and social presence, and to help develop personal meaning.
12. According to the levels of interaction in online learning, what are the three types of Learner-support interaction?
a. learner-learner, learner-life coach, learner-expert
b. learner-learner, learner-learner, learner-learner
c. learner-learner, learner-instructor, learner-expert
d. learner-instructor, learner-expert, learner-schmerner
