Module 8: Discourse Analysis

In reading the article on discourse analysis (Hara, Bonk, & Angeli), I found that what was most interesting to me were practices and findings that were similar to my own online experiences, and practices that I will incorporate in my online teaching. For instance, I agreed with the advantages and disadvantages of computer-mediated communication discussion. Students are afforded more wait time to process information and complete assignments, and more control over their own learning. On the other hand, I especially connected with the statement that the asynchronous format “can overload both instructors and students with ceaseless opportunities to learn and work”.

Research has shown that the more extroverted students tend to be more active in computer-mediated discussions. This seems reasonable, and coincides with my own experience. However, I think that students should be reminded both before taking an online course, as well as during that the instructor’s ability to ascertain a student’s cognitive and metacognitive skills are largely dependent on the student’s discussion postings. Along the same lines, I appreciate the suggestion that instructors provide students with model postings to encourage interaction. Another recommendation that I intend to implement is to provide more feedback in the form of comments which praise desired behaviors. Especially for the shy or cautious students, this could provide a demonstration of good posting practice, and, thereby, build confidence.

The final two issues which caught my attention are those of encouraging students to use the subject line more effectively in order to capture the interest of classmates, and the problem of lack of time to read all postings. I am going to make a renewed effort this semester through providing samples and encouraging comments to support more use of the subject line to indicate content. As far as reading the postings, I have a policy that students read 80% of the postings as part of their participation grade. The reason for this, as we all have experienced here, is that so much learning comes from each other. Although I realize that a student can just open every discussion message without reading it, and the course management system will count it as “read”, most do not as they are anxious to save all the valuable material just as we are!

Module 6: Reading 1

Finding a Place for Everyone: Online Course Development for Internship with an Online Media Source Uniting Multiple Sensory Engagement of Learning in a Larger Community. (Khalsa, 2001).

Some thoughts on comparison of assessment techniques from Casey's journalism class to the Khalsa class.

An important aspect of cybercoaching is creating community. Khalsa (2001) maintains that the combination of technology and online coursework, and applied learning connected to future life plans, connects the learner to the community and the community to the learner. Although the Casey course includes authentic learning, it is missing the aspect of creating community, and the techniques of cybercoaching.

In “Finding a Place for Everyone”, Khalsa states that “An optimal online learning community evolves by providing opportunities for growth beyond the confines of the virtual classroom”. Students need the opportunity to actively apply their learning, and as students put their learning into practice, they receive acknowledgement and feedback from the “larger community”. When a student is interested in an area of learning, and the learning is applied, transformation or an altering of world view and willingness to change behavior, is sought. This will allow students to develop the abilities which can move them towards their goals.(Kaipa, 1999)

Other techniques of cybercoaching mentioned in the Khalsa course include choice of learning pathway, and pre-course and interview surveys, designed to bring understanding to students and instructors regarding the students’ learning. Encouragement and support are offered to the students. This takes place through email, a virtual office, discussion threads, chat, instant messaging and f to f meetings as necessary. Further community building is the result of diversity built into the course. Project-based learning, collaborative learning, individual pacing, and enhanced feedback are techniques used. Students survey their individual learning style preferences and a multi-sensory approach is used to expand learners’ styles.

Feedback and reflection are hallmarks of the community building process. Students in my online courses use journals to reflect upon their learnings. I also employ project-based learning. I would like to do more collaborative learning and give more feedback and encouragement. I also intend to use the pre-course survey I have developed, which I think it is an excellent tool.

Module 6: Reading 2

Cybercoaching: Rubrics, Feedback, and Metacognition, Oh My! Peterson, Naomi Jeffrey. (2004). Paper presented at E. C. Moore Symposium on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Indiana University. February 25, 2005.

In Cybercoaching: Rubrics, Feedback, and Metacognition, Oh My! the author encourages readers to use email and online tools as instruments for feedback and for assessment. The author also maintains that the introduction of complex problems, familiar technology, and formative and summative assessment together improves student performance and self-regulation. There are interesting discussions of coaching, and rubrics as the coaches’ tool for feedback. What was most interesting to me, however, was the section calling for increased research on formative assessment. Peterson states that most studies have used survey research centered on student opinion. The result of a study by Peat and Franklin (2003) show that students believe there is value in formative assessment, but “there was no significant difference in summative assessment outcomes based on their use.” In my teaching experience, I have observed likewise, and strongly agree with Peterson that more study is needed. “Student characteristics” in addition to assessment techniques, course content, and tasks is an essential variable to be included.

Module 5: Reading 2 Reflection

Exploring assessment in flexible delivery of vocational education training programs (Australian National Programs, 2004.)

This is an extensive study designed to determine the range of assessment methods, why certain assessments are selected, and the validity of these approaches in the flexible delivery of vocational education training programs. I was interested in the issue of formative assessment in flexible delivery. Some important considerations related to the modes of delivery were made. For example, it was stated that assessment feedback is particularly important when assignments constitute most of the contact between the teacher and the learner. Assessment strategies need, therefore, to be considered in the design process. Near to my own philosophy and assessment practice was the caveat that the design of the learning experiences should “seamlessly incorporate the formative model of assessment in such

It was concluded that although formative assessment is critical regardless of the learning environment, formative assessment needs more emphasis in flexible delivery programs because of the “learners’ isolation and lack of a supportive learning community.”

Module 5: Reading 1 Reflection

Studying the First Amendment: Exploring Truth in Journalism, Casey, Christine. (Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.)

We analyzed the objectives and activities in this article according to a taxonomy table based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. Then, discussions ensued regarding questions which were posed to us. If the Casey journalism class were to be transferred to an online environment, what assessments would we keep, and which would need to be adjusted or eliminated. We were also asked to provide the class with one higher-level online assessment activity. Here are my responses:

If Casey’s journalism course were to be transferred to an online environment, I think most activities could be kept. Some would need to be adjusted, such as documentary viewing. The discussion and writing activities would lend themselves well to using reflection and peer-to-peer tools as Michelle has already stated.

For a higher-level assessment I looked at Activity 2 on page 28. Students could post their persuasive essays on Live Journal, convincing others to their point of view. Students could also insert photos, videos, and widgets into their essays to further illustrate and support the position they are taking.

Module 4: Reflections on Readings

Assessment for Understanding (edutopia online, 2005)

This article speaks to the forms of assessment we have, and the forms we need. The author states that often assessment conjures visions of end of the week, or quarter, or year tests. While these tests may serve some purpose, they do not fulfill the real purpose of assessment which is to inform instruction. Assessment needs to be a daily ongoing process. If one waits until the end of the week, and students haven’t mastered the concepts, a week of instructional time is wasted.

Three schools whose assessment practices gauge what students know and can do are reviewed. At the Urban Academy, an alternative high school in New York City, students must show what they are learning in every class, and in order to graduate, must show proficiency in six academic areas through performance assessments. I must disagree with the author’s efforts to link this assessment process with the statistics of the school’s student college acceptance quoted in the article. This is not a school which is open to all students. Prospective students must engage in a rigorous testing and interview process in order to gain admittance. To compare this high school’s college acceptance percentage with other public high schools in New York City is simply ludicrous and has no validity whatsoever!
The other assessment methods highlighted are project-based assessment and portfolio assessment. Each of these practices supports a process where teachers receive important feedback (formative assessment) on their students’ learning needs. Finally, the author addresses the current political climate of ‘accountability” and ‘high stakes testing”. Clearly a single test cannot describe the whole child. Hence, we need new forms of assessment.

Assessment and Online Teaching (Australian Flexible Learning Framework, July, 2004)

This guide presents issues of online assessment such as its importance, uses, barriers and selection of assessment strategies, and provides research resources. I found the issues raised very familiar as I have encountered all of them in my online teaching.

To me, the most interesting piece was the section entitled, “Does online change how, when, and where we select, monitor, or manage assessment?” I would agree with the authors that it has. They state that, in particular, vocational learning is no longer confined to special classrooms in schools, but can now take place anywhere in the private or public community. This is a very significant change that could provide for the resurgence of voc ed. Voc ed has practically disappeared from American high schools despite the fact that vocational students’ skills are an important contribution to society.

Also interesting is the issue of appropriate online teaching and assessment for diverse populations of students. I would agree that people value the flexibility of online learning without always understanding the responsibilities that go with it. Issues of culture, special needs, and lack of proficient reading and writing skills increase the challenge for those who design and teach online courses.

Module 4: Midterm Team Assessment Toolbox

The group project was a challenge, as group work always is. Good communication and willingness to consider others’ suggestions are necessary components for a successful conclusion. I have always believed in the power of several minds collaborating to produce a solution, and still do. Please view our presentation at http://docs.google.com/View?docID=dcx98mfh_2cpq5c5hp&revision=_latest.

Module 3: Perfect e-Storm: emerging technology, enormous learner demand, enhanced pedagogy, and erased budgets. Bonk (2004).

I really could not pick just one point from the Bonk (2004) article, but I did limit myself to three!

The Explosion of Online Learners – At my college, as elsewhere, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of online learners. While, college-wide there are 28 programs offered fully online, in my division we have been limited by the New York State Department of Education. They require a separate registration application for online programs, although they are the same as the f2f programs, which are already registered. Because of the demand we are experiencing, a colleague and I are beginning to write the above applications.
Emerging Technology – Asynchronous conferencing and discussion forums. I researched the sites mentioned in the article, and came across World Crossing (a free version of WebCrossing). World Crossing offers public or private asynchronous forums, threaded messages or linear conversation, unlimited participants and unlimited messages, personal email, chat rooms for synchronous communication, and several other features. The college where I teach has four campuses plus a fifth, the online campus. I think World Crossing could provide a place for all students in our Literacy Program to come together for mutual support and learning, professional development, mentoring, etc.
Emerging Technology - Reusable learning objects – This is an intriguing concept, forms of which are already used in industry. While it has the opportunity to provide rich resources for online courses, which I would like, I wonder if it also has the ability to provide “canned” courses.

Module 3: Concept mapping case study: Concept mapping used in a business education evaluation process. McLinden & Trochim. (1998).

I found the Concept Mapping article difficult to follow at times although I’m familiar with mapping as it is a staple strategy in ELA. However, it was interesting to see how another profession operates, and what it values. I think the strengths of the study would be that all stakeholders were able to give input (rating and sorting), the statistical analysis was sophisticated, the graphs, reported results with “high impact”, and it provided the ability to assess diagnostic information to improve the program.

There were some negatives. Regardless of all the effort that went into quantifying elements in the study, people’s behaviors are still hard to quantify. This is the point at which I thought the business model came closest to the challenges educators face. Learning was measured by a self-reported survey; the authors allow that a testing program would probably have given results that were more valid. Given the different goals of each stakeholder group, however, it seems inevitable that the “problem” would produce unexpected results.

Module 2: Reflection

Reflection: Module 2

I have enjoyed the activities and discussions this week. While initially I wondered what I would post to my blog, through the readings, discussions, and visiting my classmates’ blogs, I have gained a better idea.

Some thoughts about the use of course blogging –

In the Lee and Allen (2006) article, Edublogs as an online assessment_tool the authors state that before using edublogs for assessment, specific objectives and learning outcomes must be determined. They state that blogs can expand the learning process through self-assessment and reading of peer blogs.

Hurlburt, in Defining Tools for a New Learning Space (2008) offers suggestions for successful blog assignments. The potential of a blog “… is not an automatic consequence of using or assigning the technology.” Assignments do not “automatically become interactive assignments.” The implications are that blogs have to be carefully designed to achieve an interactive structure. Further, the author suggests that students need reassurance during the process and an atmosphere of trust and safety should prevail.
I’m planning to introduce a blogging assignment into one of courses I teach, and so it will be very useful to me to focus on the structure of the assignment in order to produce a successful outcome

Module 2: A Discussion of the Wang and Fang (2005) Study

The purpose of the study, Benefits of Cooperative Learning in Weblog Networks, Wang and Fang (2005) was two-fold. The first was to find ways to integrate cooperative learning with computer technology in a foreign language class, and the second, to determine how students might benefit in the college writing curriculum from this integration. Blogs were used as a place where students could share ideas individually or in groups. The authors hypothesized that increasing the students’ time writing would increase their proficiency.
The results of the study, as reported by the authors, showed that students felt the experience of blogging fostered confidence in their writing ability, and felt they contributed to their group’s efforts, and their personal goals. However, an overwhelming number, 91%, still felt that face to face interaction was an important ingredient in supporting each other, and reaching goals.
I feel this study exhibited some disadvantages, which could inform my practice in planning for my online classes.
· The study did not include a method to evaluate the quality of the online communication. More time spent writing doesn’t necessarily equal better writing. The quality of work produced would be an important element for me to consider in my classes.
· The study also did not provide an analysis of student improvement in the area of foreign language facility. This seems to be an objective without an outcome.
· The results of the study depend on a self-reported questionnaire given to the students of whom 77.6% responded. However, there was no report of student assessment by the instructors. This is a piece I think is necessary to support the teaching-learning process.
· The authors seem to have many expectations of the students. They had to articulate their own learning, reflect upon it, engage in discourse with other learners, work in groups to develop a project or to participate in a debate, read resources, post online, read others’ postings, attend face to face lectures, attend to course work given online, all within the framework of foreign language practice. With so many initiatives, it is difficult to draw conclusions directly linking cooperative learning with computer technology. A large percentage of students (42.2, 28.9, 25 %) took a neutral stance in answering the questions concerning their ability to manage time in this setting. Could this be the result of the study design trying to do too much at once?
· More than 1/3 of the students responded “neutral” to many of the learner autonomy and cooperative learning questions. Perhaps these students were not fully prepared for the cooperative learning-computer technology format. Consideration must always be given to practicing new skills before students are required to use them and a useful thought to keep in mind. For me, the goal is always that all students be prepared for the learning experience.

Module 1: Reflection

Assessment Readings

McLoughlin – “Technology has "the capacity of offer learners a broad array of activities, tasks, and forums for engaging in constructivist learning".

Black & Williams – “…improving formative assessment raises student achievement.”

My interest in alternative assessments, and my immediate need for my work is the area of formative assessment. My college has put assessment high on its priorities as it has recently gone through a Middle States evaluation. The Division of Education, where I teach, similarly has just finished an accreditation visit by New York State, and has hired a new director of assessment.

Consequently, I was most interested in the Black article. Black mentions good questioning as one of the ways to assess student learning. I was happy to see this since I stress questioning technique with my graduate students. They usually respond by saying they never realized how difficult it can be to construct a good question – nor how valuable. Like McLoughlin, he also stresses peer assessment and self-assessment-“Students can achieve a learning goal only if they understand that goal and can assess what they need to do to reach it.”

The McLoughlin article- this was an interesting discussion about how alternative assessment has been accelerated by technology, and how it learners can build their own knowledge. Mc Loughlin states that “In constructivist learning environments there is social interaction, communication, exchange of views, collaboration, and support for learners to take more responsibility for the learning process through learner-centered tasks.” This has been my experience in teaching online classes. I am often asked by students who may never have tried an online class or by dubious faculty if an online course can be truly worthwhile. I tell them that the format supports more interaction than in any f2f class. Additionally, it supports opportunity to learn new skills through real life activities.

I liked all three assessments, the interview, the survey, and the wiki. I think their usefulness depends on the purpose, as each has its drawbacks. However, they all require direct involvement by the learner.