Building Student Networks Towards a Connectivist Analysis of Classroom Learning Environments Building Student Networks Dr. Gerald Ardito Pace University ASTE 2016

It all started with an insight Be careful what you wish for It all started with an insight What would it look like if students drove their own learning?

Conceptual Framework

Communities of Practice Conceptual Framework Communities of Practice Communities of practice are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain of human endeavor...In a nutshell:Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. (Wenger, 2006)

Distributed Constructionism Conceptual Framework Distributed Constructionism "(Distributed Constructionism) focuses particularly on the use of computer networks to support students working together on design and construction activities, and it argues that these types of activities are particularly effective in supporting the development of knowledge-building communities." Resnick, 1996.

Connectivism Conceptual Framework "At its heart, connectivism is the thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks." Downes, 2007.

Research Questions

Research Questions 1. What type of learning environments can promote self-directed learning in middle school science students? 2. How does a self-directed learning environment (re)shape student learning networks? 3. How can teachers be developed to build these types of learning environments?

Instructional (Re) Design If you build it ... Instructional (Re) Design Is this my beautiful house?

How did it work? If your only tool is a hammer ... You may find yourself in another part of the world

Where are we going? A journey of one thousand miles... What's the Big Idea?

The Physical Layout

Options, options, options Take a seat Options, options, options Since effective student-centered, self-directed learning environments are characterized by student choice the physical space is an important part of the structure for the course (Enghag, 2006; Merriam, 2001)

The Tools

Moodle Follow the yellow brick road... Building a container for learning

There is no try. Do or do not. Google Docs Sharing is caring

What we have here... Edmodo Easy communication

Flexbooks CK12.org Open, editable educational resources

Once upon a time... ShowMe Teacher presence

What it looked like

Findings

Student Self-Management 94% of students (all but 3) finished the entire course. 14% of students (7) finished the course early. One completed the course 4 months early. Students managed themselves spontaneously, creatively, and productively 26% of student (13) decided to work on more than one unit concurrently.

Some anecdotes Intrinsic Motivation "Conditions supporting the individual’s experience of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are argued to foster the most volitional and high quality forms of motivation and engagement for activities" Selfdetermination.org

Student Achievement 60% of students scored at 85 or above on year end state mandated cumulative exam (compared to 46% in other classroom). The biggest impact was in students in the 65-74 band.

Regents Scores Year 2

Regents Scores Year 1

Depth of Student Work Run silent, run deep "For the first time, I don't feel yanked along." (Emmy, 8th grade student)

Student Learning Networks A metric was created - Student Network Composite (SNC). The SNC included: # of nodes in a students' network Strength of students' connections to those nodes Level of interactions with course materials

Types of Student Networks How were the students connected Types of Student Networks Getting connected. Staying connected

Student Learning Networks 44% (22 students) were above the median on the SNC. 15 of those 22 students scored in the mastery level on the year end assessment. 14 of those 15 student met or exceeded predicted scores based on pre-assessment.

Follow the evidence, wherever it leads Conclusions What did we learn?

Discussion Almost all students were able to succeed in this self-regulated learning environment. Students with special needs and ELL students did particularly well. Student networks clearly developed or not and seem likely to have an impact on learning and achievement. The experience was much more like online learning environments than typical classroom settings.

A rising tide raises all boats Next steps Learning from failure.

Further Research Work is needed to develop better metrics and assessments for student networks in classroom, blended, and online learning environments. Current research is being done on the teaching training . Project based learning skills seem essential to student success in this setting.