1. Developing Learner-led Knowledge Generating Online Communities
Based on Engaging the Online Learner (Conrad and Donaldson, 2004)

2. What Does Being Empowered Mean?
Webster: to give power to; authorize; enable

3. Reflection Question #3: What could be learned if the instructor got out of the way???

4. Power Sharing Shared not “transferred wholesale”
Faculty make key decisions – not all
Decisions have student input
Gradual process
(Weimer, 2002)

5. What Should Learners Have the Power to Do?
Expand outcomes
Develop new insights
Help others develop knowledge
Share their knowledge
Lead knowledge generation

6. What Do Learners Need to Lead?
Instructor “permission”
Tone of the course
Clear guidelines
Base outcomes
Ideas for activities
Few restrictions
Adequate planning time
Checkpoints
Supportive Peers
Consequences for lack of support
Process to evaluate support
Modeling of activities by instructor
Reason to do it
Application / relevance to their lives

7. Key Activity Elements Timing Determiner (instructor or learner?)
Degree of “open-ness” and creativity
Level of authenticity
Ability to discuss more than “the” answer

8. The Phases of Engagement
(Conrad and Donaldson, 2004)

9. Phase 1 Phase 2 Learner - Newcomer
Instructor - Coordinator of Interactions (Social)
Activities are social / orientation-like
Examples: Icebreakers, individual introductions, discussions concerning community issues such as Netiquette rules and Emoticons
Learner - Cooperator
Instructor - Structural Engineer
Forms dyads of learners in anticipation of larger group formation
Activities require critical thinking, reflection and sharing of ideas
Examples: Peer reviews, activity critiques, case studies

10. Phase 3 Phase 4 Learner - Collaborator Instructor - Facilitator
Activities require small groups to collaborate, problem solve, reflect upon experiences
Examples: content discussions, role plays, debates, jigsaws, etc.
Learner - Initiator of interactivity
Instructor - Community Member
Activities are learner-designed and/or learner-led
Examples: Group presentations and projects, learner-facilitated discussions

11. Individual vs. Team-led
Safety in numbers
Helps build confidence
Provides multiple perspectives for activity development
Small Teams
3 to 5 members
minimizes learners opting out of the activity or TOO many voices.
Peer accountability
peers evaluate the participation and activity quality

12. Activity - Team Building
You are with a group of fellow students in a hot air balloon. It has been a delightful journey until you notice that you are quickly descending for no aparent reason. Dangerous power lines are below the balloon and quick action is necessary. One of you will need to be sacrificed over the side so that the rest will live.
Explain to the group at your table why you should be chosen to survive. Your explanation should include what you will offer to the team as a project member. Remember, your life and the survival of the team will depend on the strength of the members chosen.

13. Activity Outcomes Convey basic outcomes in syllabus
Communicate that learners could develop additional ones for the activity
Learners should communicate outcomes to instructor

14. Choosing Activity Type
Appropriate to type of outcome
Simple
Technologically
Pedagogically
Examples:
Presentations
Discussions
Role-plays
Debates
Games

15. Orientation and Planning
Concept of learner-led activities introduced at the beginning
Syllabus: detailed description of the activity & learner responsibilities
Begin thinking about the activities after the first 25% of completed course
Time to begin planning at least 5 weeks before activity.
Instructor-team discussion time 3 weeks before the activity.
The instructor is counselor and consultant.

16. Example of Learner-led Activity
Hi Everyone! Our project is simple and straightforward. There are just a few steps involved.
Step #1
Read our scenario prior to the class session. It is posted on the General Class Discussion board. You will need to come to class ready to discuss possible solutions to our scenario. Be sure to finish the assigned readings for the week.
Step #2
On the night of our class presentation, we will ask you to go to the color chat room to which you were assigned at the beginning of the course. There are separate chat areas for red, blue, green and white color rooms.

17. Example of Learner-led Activity
Step #3
Select one representative from your color group to present your responses during the last 30 minutes of class discussion. We will visit the color chat rooms throughout your discussion.
Step #4
We ask that each group meet for the first 30 minutes of class, then return to the Main Room for a class presentation. One representative from each color group needs to be prepared to present their collective responses.
If you have any questions, please post them in the General Class Discussion area.
Thanks, Team One

18. The Ugly Side of Empowerment
What do you do if they try to give the power back?

19. The Ugly Side of Empowerment
Free Rider Effect
member opts out / leaves it to others to complete
Sucker Effect
enthusiastic member is “allowed” to do it all
Status Sensitivity Effect
high ability members take charge
Salomon (1995) describes various means of exploitation as:
The ‘free rider’ effect where one team member just leaves it to the others to complete the task; the ‘sucker effect’ whereby a more active or able member of a team discovers that he or she is taken for a free ride by other team members; the ‘status sensitivity’ effect whereby high ability or very active members take charge and thus have an increasing impact on the team’s activity and products. (p. 1)
Salomon, 1995

20. Assessment Peer Evaluation Community Evaluation Self Assessment
Did all team mates participate?
Community Evaluation
Was this a meaningful activity?
Self Assessment
What knowledge was generated?
How will it be applied?
Instructor Evaluation
Were outcomes achieved?

21. Rubric Defines performance levels
Clearly specifies expectations for the activity and effort required for a particular score
Could have 2 rubrics
1 for team
1 for participants (team can develop)

22. Checklist for Learner-Led Activity
Learner engagement planned in phases
Objectives clearly stated in syllabus
Rubric for grading of the activity
Concept of learner-led activity introduced at beginning of course
Several weeks provided for learner planning of activity
Creative opportunity in choice and implementation of activity
Course participation grade includes learner-led activities

23. Activity - Learner-led Knowledge Generating Activity
With your group, develop a Learner-led Knowledge Generating activity using the Community Development Plan.
You will have 20 minutes for discussion and planning
The final 15 minutes will provide you with a chance to implement your activity at another table
Be ready to discuss:
what were the AHAs you experienced?
what were the challenges you faced?
how would this work in your own instructional session?