Can Discussion Forums be a Learning Tool in ITT? Yana I Tainsh Senior Lecturer PCET University of Greenwich London

2 Background to the Study WWhere it all began FFormative Assessment KKey Tasks

 Write an evaluation of one of your teaching/training sessions. Try to answer the main questions (in italics) using the bulleted points as prompts.  Remember to comment on positive aspects of your lesson, as well as any shortcomings, and say how you intend to remedy the latter. Just answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to questions is not sufficient; you must write a brief commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of your planning and your performance.  After you have used the questions here, you may wish to develop your own set to use for future evaluations. Remember to appraise your lessons or training sessions as soon as possible, while the experience is still fresh in your mind. Key Task – Self-evaluation

Change of Plan…. OOnline posting PPCET Online Discussion Forum University of Greenwich AASSOCiateOnline University of Huddersfield

Key Task – Discussion Forum  Make a contribution to either the PPP1 and the Literacy/Numeracy discussion forums based on the Online Campus at Greenwich or the University of Huddersfield ASSOCiateOnline forum in discussion forum 13, ‘Education and Training’.  Your contribution to the forum should, where possible, take the form of comments about things that you have learned which you think will be useful to your own practice, either from observing classes on placement or from taking part in activities here at Greenwich.  The numeracy forum will be used as an online workshop, so this would be an especially useful discussion to join if you feel you need to develop your skills, or if you just wish to clarify a point of concern.

Navigating the Discussion Forum PPCET Online Discussion Forum University of Greenwich AASSOCiateOnline University of Huddersfield

Brainstorm Can a discussion forum provide the right setting for effective learning to take place? Is there a prescriptive ICT skills profile required for the discussion forum to be effective in increasing learning? Do learners that do not engage with the discussion forum achieve the same learning? Is there a prescriptive ICT skills profile required for the discussion forum to be effective in increasing learning? Is there a prescriptive ICT skills profile required for the discussion forum to be effective in increasing learning? Do learners that do not engage with the discussion forum achieve the same learning? Do learners that do not engage with the discussion forum achieve the same learning? Can a discussion forum provide the right setting for effective learning to take place?

Plan for the Study Epistemological Stance Research Methodology Data Analysis Data Collection

Epistemological Stance Social Science Social Constructivism Interpretive Paradigm (Grounded Theory)

Research Methodology Mixed Methods QuantitativeQualitative

Data Analysis Cronbach’s α (alpha) Cronbach's α value = 0.41 For a set of items to be considered as a scale, Cronbach's α value must be > 0.7 Consequently, "low" or "poor“ reliability.

Data Collection (1) Quantitative Questionnaire Analysis of Forum postings OLC Web Hit Analysis Quantitative Questionnaire Analysis of Forum postings OLC Web Hit Analysis

Data Collection (2) Qualitative Gunawardena’s Instrument Constant Comparative Method

Descriptive Statistics (1)  Discussion Forum Posting  OLC Web Hits  Words Per Discussion Forum Posting Total number of postings= 542 Total number of OLC web hits = 1752

Descriptive Statistics (2) MinMaxMeanStd. Dev. Number of Discussion Forum Postings Made Number of OLC web hits registered Number of Words per Discussion Forum Posting

Inferential Statistics CChi Square CCorrelation Analysis (Pearson value r) TT-test

Chi Square questions 1. Gender – Send / receive with an attachment? 2. Gender - Use a chat tool to communicate via the web? 3. Programme of Study – Send / receive with an attachment? 4. Programme of Study - Use a chat tool to communicate via the web?

Chi Square results

Correlation Analysis (Pearson value r) Are PGCE and Cert Ed trainees’ number of times they access the Online Campus related to the number of Discussion Forum postings they make?

t-test questions ‘is there any difference between ….’ 1. Number of Discussion Forum postings made, based on Gender? 2. Number of Discussion Forum postings made, based on Programme of Study? 3. Number of OLC web hits, based on Gender? 4. Number of OLC web hits, based on Programme of Study?

Gunawardena’s Instrument I. Sharing/Comparing Information. II. The Discovery and Exploration of Dissonance or Inconsistency among Ideas, Concepts or Statements. III. Negotiation of meaning/Co-construction of knowledge. IV. Testing and Modification of Proposed Synthesis or Co-construction. V. Agreement statement(s) / Application of Newly-Constructed Meaning.

Graph of ‘Total Units of Meaning’ per trainee sampled

Conclusion  Low Cronbachs Alpha Value.  PGCE trainees (surprisingly) were not as skilled at sending s with attachments as the Cert Ed trainees.  Pearson Correlation Co-efficient and t-tests not of significance.  55% of trainees described as having constructed ‘new’ knowledge through social negotiation, or a constructivist learning experience.

Upon Reflection ….  Poor management of Key Task  Timely assessment of ICT Skills  Updated ICT Skills Audit  Tutor presence

Thankyou for listening If there are any more questions please, feel free to ask.