synchromodal learning environments. edmedia 2013
TRANSCRIPT
Technology Navigators, Small Groups, and Personal Portals in Synchromodal Classes
John Bell William Cain Sandra Sawaya
College of Education
June 25, 2013
Our Context
Ph.D. in Ed Psych & Ed Tech edtechphd.com/edpsychphd.com
– Face-to-Face (F2F) and Hybrid Provide access to mid-career people
Challenges– Two groups integrated — a challenge and a strength
– Practice what we preach
CEPSE/COE Design Studio– Do what we’re doing … better– Learn from what we’re doing– Doctoral students as central contributors
• William Cain, Sandra Sawaya, Charlie Belinsky
Our Big Idea
Leading with a solution rather than a problem only succeeds by chance
• What primary problem are you trying to solve?
– E.g., Learning, access, productivity, constraint, demand, …
• Our primary problem:
– Increased access with undiminished effect without (significantly) increased faculty load
Hybrid Courses
• Using both face-to-face and onlineinteractions for “contact hours” of a class
– So a “hybrid” course is not …
• an online project for a face-to-face course
• a face-to-face meeting for an online course
– A “hybrid” course is…
• Sometimes “meeting” onlineinstead offace-to-face
Two Types of Hybrid Courses
• Alternating Modes
– Face-to-face and online for same course
– E.g.
• Week 1 F2F, Week 2 online, Week 3 F2F, …
• Flipped classrooms: lectures online, work f2f
• Synchromodal
– Integrating face-to-face and online learners as comparable partners in the same learning experience
Learning Environment Models
Model Time Consistency
1.0 Face-to-Face Synchronous Uniform
2.0 Online Asynchronous Uniform
1/2 “Blended” Alternating
3.0 Face-to-Face+Online Synchronous Uniform
* These models are (largely) pedagogically neutral.
Major Learning Topographies* Face-to-Face *
• Lecture: hub & spokes / monarchy
– hierarchical structure with the predominant direction being outward
• Large group: player/coach
– instructor guides whole class interaction in a relatively flat structure
• Small group: federal system
– student led groups with instructor as periodic guide
Major Learning Topographies* Online *
• Topographies can be essentially unchanged from face-to-face
• Generally asynchronous
• MOOCs
– Initially Lecture topography
– Increasingly combined with Small group
Major Learning Topographies* Synchromodal *
• Lecture & small group can be essentially unchanged
Major Learning Topographies* Synchromodal *
• Linked Classrooms
Major Learning Topographies* Synchromodal *
• Shared Portal
Introducing the Role ofTechnology Navigator
Increased Challenges of Synchromodal Classes
1) Two-tiered learning experience– Online learners…
• Feel the need for permission to contribute
• Tend more toward being a consumer than a contributor
– In the mind of instructor, f2f, and online students
– Surprise: sometimes online got greater attention
• Our Goal– Comparable value rather than identical experience
Increased Challenges of Synchromodal Classes
2) Increased technical challenges
– New technologies to learn
– New technologies that might fail
– Bring change to class dynamics
– Need new/adjusted pedagogical strategies
– Some dependent, and some not
Types of Instructor Support
• Before teaching
– Hand-off work (e.g., producer)
– Integrated design team (see Koehler, et al.)
Tech Nav (the latter)
• While teaching
– Technology support: technical tasks
– Teaching Assistant: pedagogical tasks
Tech Nav (combined)
Tech Nav: Defined
• “a graduate student whose responsibility it is to facilitate the interactions among instructor(s) and students in a synchromodalcourse”
Tech Nav: Responsibilities
• Before the course– Brainstorm, experiment, set up, …
• During the course– Take primary responsibility for technical operation
• PolyCom, GoToMeeting, Skype, Google Hangouts, WordPress, EtherPad, …
• Individually and collectively
– Monitor and facilitate inclusion of both populations• What do they see & hear?
• What are the class dynamics?
Tech Nav: Benefits
• For the instructor
– Concentrate on teaching rather than juggling and trouble shooting
• For the Tech Nav
– Dialogue with faculty at the intersection of technology, pedagogy, and content
– Authentic engagement in design for learning
– Experience in a growing area of teaching & learning
Tech Nav: Future Directions
• Exploration of Synchromodal Classes
• Increased accessibility of Tech Nav
– Clarify/formalize roles & responsibilities
– Define & develop means for preparation needed for this work
Technology Navigator:Background
• Synchromodal set-ups…
– are bundles of technologies
– require extensive preparation
– use technology in real-time
– are rarely “fixed”
Technology NavigatorThe Challenge
• Synchromodal set-ups are bundles of technologies that encompass:
– Hardware (laptops, desktops, mobile devices, cameras, microphones, speakers, monitors, etc.)
– Software (video conferencing platforms, OS, browsers, user accounts, synching system preferences, etc.)
Technology NavigatorThe Solution
• Tech Navs are experienced in selecting and assembling the different bundles
– Each bundle can be different, depending on pedagogy, student composition, location parameters, etc.
– The tech nav takes these into account, and keeps track of the necessary equipment
Technology NavigatorThe Challenge
• Synchromodal set-ups require extensive preparation:
– Deciding which tech configuration best matches pedagogical strategies
– Setting up the technology bundles before each class
– Contacting participants with tech details
Technology NavigatorThe Solution
• Tech Navs devote time prior to class sessions to focus on technology/user performance issues
– Consult with instructors on the course design
– Activate and test technology before each class
– Contact students with tech details prior to first class contact (login info, downloads, audio and video preferences)
Technology NavigatorThe Challenge
• Synchromodal set-ups use technology in real-time:
– Set-up requires monitoring (user experience, technology failure with one / multiple systems, etc.)
– Troubleshooting must occur in real-time
• Solving tech failures
• Assisting participants
– Failures can be felt by one, several, or all participants
– It can be hard to know when they are happening!
Technology NavigatorThe Solution
• Maintain a presence in both online and face-to-face modes
• Field and respond to user feedback (advocacy for online participants)
• Troubleshoot in real-time without interrupting the instructor
• Provide multiple back-up communication solutions (e.g., phone, alternate video conferencing)
Technology NavigatorThe Challenge
• Synchromodal set-ups are always changing:
– Set-ups usually require fine-tuning and adjustments to technology and environmental configurations
– New approaches and uses of technology can emerge and require adjustments
Technology NavigatorThe Solution
• Have knowledge of the course, the pedagogy, and the technology
– Have technological knowledge that inform how tech aspects can be refined
• Are embedded in the class environment
– Directly observe and take notes on design performance
– Help gather data for research
Major Learning Topographies* Synchromodal *
• Personal Portal
Evolution of the Enhanced Personal Portal Model
• Phase 1: Shared Portal Model
• Phase 2: Personal Portal Model
• Phase 3: Enhanced Personal Portal Model
1. Techniques/Courseware: How the tech was set up
2. Issues: Problems that arose
3. Solutions: How we addresses the problems
Phase 1: Shared Portal Model
• Techniques/Courseware
1. Balcony– GoToMeeting on Mac Mini + SMART board + webcam on top
2. Audio input/output – Chat160 speakerphone
3. Instructor station – laptop connected to Sony SMART TV
1
2
3
GTM Online Student-View
1 2
3
1. Bird’s eye view of entire class
2. Online students can see one another
3. Instructor screen (in this case PPT presentation)
Phase 1: Shared Portal Model
• Issues
– Seclusion of the balcony area
• Online students did not feel like an immediate part of the class
– Single audio and video output
• Online students shared one audio output
• Solution
– Development of the personal portal model
Phase 2: Personal Portal Model
• Techniques/Courseware
INSERT PICTURE1
1. iPad/node chair combo – Skype video call
Phase 2: Personal Portal Model
• Issues– Limited instructor presentation visibility
• Online students could not directly or clearly see the instructor’s presentation
– Limited student visibility• Online students could not see (a) other online students and (b)
face-to-face advocate
– Online student dependence• Online students completely dependent on face-to-face advocate to
orchestrate their classroom experience
• Solution– Development of the enhanced personal portal model
Phase 3: Enhanced Personal Portal Model
• Techniques/Courseware
1
2
1. Balcony– GoToMeeting on Mac Mini + SMART board + webcam on top
2. iPad/node chair combo – Skype video call
Lessons Learned
• Student Advocacy– Importance of pairing up online and hybrid students
• Backup Plan– Two concurrent, always-on methods of joining class
– If one way of participating in class fails, online students switch to alternative
• Multitude of Devices– Successful implementation of SmLE models contingent
on students’ willingness to operate two computing devices
Future Plans
• More hybrid learning classrooms
• Asus Taichi™ double-sided display laptop
• Google Glass
• Perpetual experimentation with different models
From the instructor’s chair
Instructor Feedback
• Integration of remote and face-to-face students was “near seamless”
• Using iPads on chairs allowed “the remote students [to] participate more like they were physically in the room with the face-to-face students…. The remote students more comfortably joined the face-to-face conversation as if they were physically in the ‘real’ classroom.”
Instructor Feedback
• Key test for seminar: interruption
– Without personal portals, online students would qualify their comments with statements like, “If it's okay to speak, I'd like to add that…”
– With personal portals, online students “could pick right up when someone else stopped saying something, or even to overlap their seminar conversation when making an argument that called for grabbing the discussion floor.”
Overall Framework
Conclusion
Synchromodal: F2F+Online in same experience
Exciting potential
Personal Portal Model: Virtual individual presence
Close approximation of seminar feel
Personal Portal Enhanced: Add global view
Mimic human ability for scale
Tech Nav:
Support synchromodal technology and teaching
Always learning