1. Facilitating Online Discussions and sharing of responsibilities for Learning Outcomes Session 3

2. Outline

3. What are the main benefits and challenges of online learning for learners?

4. Learning Outcomes Frame discussion questions to encourage divergent, reflective responses. Effectively moderate online discussions that promote learning. Write effective learning outcomes. Design an evaluation strategy/grading rubric for a student assignment.

6. philosophy of learner-centred instruction 1.participants as active and involved in their own learning 2.base on constructivist learning theory 3.prof becomes facilitator – a “guide on the side “ vs “sage on the stage”

7. WHY USE ONLINE DISCUSSION: Eight Reasons to use online discussion

8. LACK OF PARTICIPATION?

9. 8 reasons to use online discussions 1.participants are encouraged to analyze what they are learning -- test their own understanding against the professor and other participants 2.To bring real-world experience to the classroom

10. 8 reasons to use online discussions 3. fosters critical reflection 4. enhances Forum for cooperation 5. team activities & building skills 6. develops a sense of community 7. adds social component 8. answer individual questions for benefit of group

12. INCREASING PARTICIPATION

13. KEEPING LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN

15. FACILITATOR PARTICIPATION

16. WHY SHOULD YOU PARTICIPATE? 1.MODEL APPROPRIATE DISCUSSION FOR PARTICIPANTS 2.UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ACTIVITY 3.HELPS IN DEEPENING THE DISCUSSION

17. THINGS TO AVOID 1.TOO MANY POSTS FROM YOU CAN BACKFIRE 2.PRAISE! (TOO MUCH OF IT….) 3.PING-PONG DISCUSSION – 4.RESPONDING TOO QUICKLY

18. WHAT’S THE ROLE OF THE FACILITATOR…? 1.YOU ARE THE PRIMARY MODERATOR / HELPS YOU ASSIST PARTICIPANTS 2.HELPS ELEVATE THEIR PROGRESS AND ENGAGEMENT 3.KNOW WHEN CLARIFICATION, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, OR OTHER TYPE OF ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED KEEP IN MIND - YOUR ROLE & PARTICIPANTS ROLE WILL CHANGE…..

19. FACILITATORS’ & PARTICIPANTS’ ROLES AT VARIOUS STAGES (1) 1.Access & Motivation Participants' roles : Getting in to the course: successfully logging on Facilitators' role: Encouraging, welcoming; Clarifying role of conference

20. FACILITATORS’ & PARTICIPANTS’ ROLES AT VARIOUS STAGES (2) 2. Online Socialization Participants' roles : Moving beyond browsing; Learning to feel at home Facilitators' role: Creating an atmosphere where people feel respected ; May include contacting individuals by email as they "arrive" (or fail to) in the conferencing space

21. FACILITATORS’ & PARTICIPANTS’ ROLES AT VARIOUS STAGES (3) STAGE 3. Information Exchange Participants' roles: Deal with potential information overload ;Work at finding information online ;Discuss content and issues in the conference area Facilitators' role: Present linkages in interesting ways; Ensure that contributions are not lost or ignored

22. FACILITATORS’ & PARTICIPANTS’ ROLES AT VARIOUS STAGES (4) STAGE 4: Knowledge Construction Participants' roles: Begin to analyze/interpret what they are learning; Experience different perspectives; become authors, based on their own reading and personal experience, not just transmitters of facts Facilitators' role: Begin to move out of the way Encourage critical thinking

23. FACILITATORS’ & PARTICIPANTS’ ROLES AT VARIOUS STAGES (E) STAGE 5 Development Participants' roles: Experienced participants may share the moderator’s role ;May challenge position of moderator ;Take responsibility for own learning Clearly demonstrate critical thinking; Often reflect critically on role of the technology in learning, as well as on topic area Facilitators' role: Be prepared for challenges from participants; Don't interfere too much with discussion, but don't become obviously absent either

24. ALSO

25. FRAMING QUESTIONS

26. Ineffective discussion question (1) Questions that lend themselves only to yes/no answer. Questions that have a single correct response. Questions requiring only unsubstantiated opinion as a response Encouraging participants to provide evidence that supports their opinion, or that refutes the contentions of others, helps deepen understanding when used exclusively;

27. Ineffective discussion questions (2) Opinion-seeking questions are terrific for getting the conversation going..

28. Effective discussion questions GOOD QUESTIONS … DIVERGENT TYPE QUESTIONS EXPLORE THE “WHY” OF THINGS ASK PARTICIPANTS TO EXPLORE MATERIAL IN LIGHT OF THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES

29. Developing effective questions within dialogue. Critical thinking in discussion allows participants to probe underlying assumptions, explore hypothetical outcomes, and explore personal and societal beliefs Questions that : ask for more evidence; clarification; extend responses; hypothetical questions; cause & affect questions; summary and synthesis questions

32. QUESTIONS THAT HIJACK DISCUSSION INTERJECTED INTO CONVERSATION WITHOUT REFERENCE TO TOPIC/ISSUE UNDER DISCUSSION DON’T PICK UP ON THE THEMES CONTAINED IN RESPONSES THAT CONSIST OF 2-3 QUESTIONS RESPOND TO PARTICIPANTS RESPONSES PREMATURELY

33. ?

34. QUESTIONS TO BEGIN DISCUSSION RE-USED QUESTIONS ONES LINKED TO CURRENT EVENTS PARTICIPANT GENERATED

35. or

36. OTHER WAYS TO BEGIN DISCUSSION POST A QUOTE PARTICIPANTS FIND AND POST QUOTES PARTICIPANTS POST STORY

37. 3 Levels of Management

38. Managing Expectations

39. Managing Behaviour

40. Managing Participation

41. Grading / Ascribing Value to Online Discussion Postings

42. Resources

43. Learner-centred education Guiding principles The case for Learner-Centered Education The case for Learner-Centered Education The case for Learner-Centered Education

44. Learner-centred psychological principles Learner-Centered Psychological Principles: A framework for School Reform by The American Psychological Association (APA) Board of Educational Affairs 1997. Learner-Centered Psychological Principles: A framework for School Reform Learner-Centered Psychological Principles: A framework for School Reform

45. Effective Online Engagement Building learning communities in Cyberspace: effective strategies for the online classroom (1999: Jossey-Bass) Rena M. Palloff and Keith Pratt Palloff and Pratt focus extensively on increasing participation. Encouraging online participation? Suzanne Ho, School of Design, Curtin University of Technology This is an excellent article. The author begins with two questions: "How do you encourage or facilitate online participation? What constitutes effective participation?" She explores theories about encouraging participation, surveys methods, and makes recommendations based on a literature review. Building learning communities in Cyberspace: effective strategies for the online classroom Encouraging online participation? Building learning communities in Cyberspace: effective strategies for the online classroom Encouraging online participation?

46. Planning Online Interaction Planning Online Interaction Techniques including instructor-led discussion, brainstorming, using case studies and debates are included in this tip sheet from UVIC. Groupwork in distance learning Richard M. Felder and Rebecca Brent's article concentrates on setting up teams for collaboration at a distance. Why don't face-to-face teaching strategies work in the virtual classroom? How to avoid the "question mill" by Sarah Havind Groupwork in distance learning Why don't face-to-face teaching strategies work in the virtual classroom? How to avoid the "question mill" Planning Online Interaction Groupwork in distance learning Why don't face-to-face teaching strategies work in the virtual classroom? How to avoid the "question mill"

47. A framework for designing questions for online learning A framework for designing questions for online learning Lin Muilenburg and Zane L. Berge begin with a discussion of the kinds of higher-order thinking we're trying to promote using online discussion. They explore the functions of questions in considerable depth and provide a detailed framework for generating questions. The section, "Manage the discussion in process" is particularly useful for phrasing questions designed to move a conversation towards critical thinking. A framework for designing questions for online learning