Enhancing Learning Enhancing Learning Opportunities by Student Opportunities by Student

Collaboration in Collaboration in Online Learning CommunityOnline Learning Community

Denys M. Lupshenyuk & Clayton Tartt

The University of West Alabama

This project proposal is supported in part by a grant from the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States

Department of State, administered by IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board).

February 25-27, 2007 Abu Dhabi, UAE

What is TIGC What is TIGC Project?Project?

Experiential Learning

Collaborative Learning

Reflective Learning

Action Learning

Supported Learning

Project NeedsProject Needs

• Students lack ICT literacy

• Teachers lack hands-on technology use

• Insufficiency of web resources on education

Project GoalsProject Goals• To enrich national educational experiences;

• To make pre-service teachers more open to using web-based technologies in classrooms;

• To give future teachers opportunity to experience problem-solving learning through on-line community;

• To develop reflective individuals willing to improve effectiveness of teaching around the world;

• To lay foundations of professional networking via on-line community of practice.

Project OrganizationProject Organization

• Project Working Group− Project director− Team facilitators− Knowledge leaders

• Preparatory Stage− Design of TIGC Project

framework− Selection of project participants − Diverse composition of project

teams− Development of instructional

package

• Learning agreement• Project syllabus• Study guide• Techtorials• Videopodcast about

project

Digital ResourcesDigital Resources

• Computer Equipment

• High-Speed Internet

• Community-based web application− Manila User Land

(Tapped In, My-ecoach)

Computer-Mediated Computer-Mediated CommunicationsCommunications

• Communications tools − Asynchronous tools

• Discussion Board• Email

− Synchronous tools• Text-based chat-room• Audio/video conferencing• Instant messaging

• Collaborative Technologies − Streaming multimedia− Blogging tools− Wiki-technology− File Sharing

TIGC Project TIGC Project ImplementationImplementation

Implementation Stage

IntroductionStage

Evaluation Stage

Community Evolvement

Project Implementation

Introduction StageIntroduction StageIntroduction StageIntroduction Stage

Period: 2 weeks

Activities:

(a) Team Icebreaking

(b) Opening web conference

(c) Skills development webinar

Problem-solving & Team-building skills

PowerPoint & Audio conferencing

Community Introduction:

• Chat, audio/video conferencing, IM

• Discussion board, webloging, podcasts

Clarification of project goals & tasks:

•Text-based chat or audio/video conferencing

Period: 2 weeks

Activities:

(a) Team Icebreaking

(b) Opening web conference

(c) Skills development webinar

Project Implementation

Introduction StageIntroduction Stage Implementation StageImplementation StageImplementation StageImplementation Stage

Period: 3 months

Activities:

(a) Inter-team online collaboration

(b) Skills development webinar

(c) Presentation

Collaborative research to develop action plan:

•Wiki-technology•CMC tools•Streaming multimedia

ICT literacy and research skills

•PowerPoint & Audio conferencing

Project Implementation

Introduction StageIntroduction StageImplementation StageImplementation Stage

Evaluation StageEvaluation StageEvaluation StageEvaluation Stage

Period: 2 weeks

Activities:

(a) Team Icebreaking

(b) Opening web conference

(c) Skills development webinar

Period: 3 months

Activities:

(a) Inter-team online collaboration

(b) Skills development webinar

Period: 2 weeks

Activities:

(a) Inter-team evaluation

(b) Online community debating

(c) Closing web conference

•Peer evaluation (CMC tools)

•Self-evaluation (web survey; weblogs)

Online discussion of

students’ end-products

Sharing experiences

(CMC tools)

Project Evaluation• By team members:

− Weekly reflective blogs− Peer assessment and peer review− Summative self-evaluations

• By team leaders:− Weekly evaluation of team work− Summative self-evaluations

• By facilitators: − Continuous observation of team interactions

• By knowledge leaders:− Measurement evaluation of the final product of

collaborative work and individual action plans

SummarySummary• TIGC is carried out between universities

located in different countries.

• It is delivered via an online learning community.

• The purpose is to develop action plans to resolve problems in technology integration.

• It provides hands-on experience with the latest web-based technology.

• It provides ongoing educational facilitation, informational and technological support.

References • Anderson, T., & Elloumi, F. (Eds.) (2004). Theory and practice of

online learning. Athabasca, AB, Canada: Athabasca University. Retrieved May 15, 2006, from http://www.cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/

• Appel, J. (2006, November 28). Report: Students struggle with information literacy. eSchool News Online. Retrieved November 28, 2006, from http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/

• Atkins, N., & Vasu, E. (2000). Measuring knowledge of technology usage and stages of concern about computing: A study of middle school teachers. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 8(4), 279-302.

• Bentley, T. (2000). Facilitation. Gloucestershire, England

• Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Macmillan.

• Fried-Booth, D. L. (1986). Project work. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Jaques, D. (2000). Learning in groups. London: Kogan Page.

• Kilpatrick, T. (1918, September). The project method. Teachers College Record, 19, 319–334.

• Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. New Jersey, USA: Prentice-Hall.

References (cont’d)• Legutke, M., & Thomas, H. (1997). Process and experience in the

language classroom. London and New York: Longman.

• McGill, I., & Beaty, L. (2000). Action learning: A practitioner's guide. Milton Park, UK: Routledge Falmer

• Nikolayenko, S. M. (2006). Освіта в інноваційному поступі суспільства. [Education as an innovative approach to society]. Education of Ukraine, 60-61(754). Retrieved October 15, 2006, from http://www.mon.gov.ua/

• Ribe, R., & Vidal, N. (1993). Project work: Step-by-step. Macmillan: Heinemann.

• Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: Corwin Press.

• Rogers, A. (2002). Teaching adults. Maidenhead, England: Open University Press.

• Rogers, C. (1983). Freedom to learn. Columbus, OH, USA: Merrill.

• Rowand, C. (2000). Teacher use of computers and the Internet in public schools (NCES 2000-090). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Centre for Education Statistics.

• Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in development. Newbury House.

• Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.