Handbook of Online Education

Handbook of Online Education

io >iooqpuBH

Online Education Shirley Bennett with Debra Marsh and Clare Killen

continuum

Dedication To our children: Nathan, less, Max, Tom and Abi

Continuum The Tower Building 11 York Road London SE17NX

80 Maiden Lane Suite 704 NY 10038 New York

www.continuumbooks.com © Shirly Bennett with Debra Marsh and Clare Killen 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Shirley Bennett, Debra Marsh and Clare Killen have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as authors of this work. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 0-8264-72958 hardback) 0-8264-72966 (paperback) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. Designed and typeset by Ben Cracknell Studios Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall

Authors Shirley Bennett [email protected] Shirley worked as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), teacher trainer and linguistics lecturer before moving into broader educational work within the Institute for Learning of the University of Hull, where she is lecturer in education and online learning, programme director for the Master of Education in eLearning and a University Teaching Fellow. Her interests lie in teacher development for e-learning and in student-centred approaches to learning and assessment online and offline. She is currently leading the UK team for the EU Leonardo project Implementing Standards for European eTutor Training (ISEeTT). Debra Marsh [email protected] Debra is a freelance e-Learaing consultant. She first became involved in online learning and teaching at the University of Hull when, in 1995, she led Project Merlin, a research and development initiative which at that time aimed to develop online EFL intermediate level programmes. Debra was considered an early adopter in the field of online teaching when in 1997 she supported a group of 25 learners distributed worldwide. Today Debra's principal work focuses on the pedagogy of online learning and teaching and includes online facilitation, course development, design and evaluation.

Clare Killen [email protected] Clare taught a range of subjects in further education (FE) before specializing in teacher training and the effective use of technology to support teaching and learning. She helped to develop Becta's (the British Educational Communications Technology Agency) innovative Ferl Practitioners' Programme working with FE, sixth-form colleges, specialist colleges and adult and community learning providers before moving to the Learning and Skills Development Agency to work on the Subject Learning Coaches Programme a staff development programme that uses peer coaching as a model for improving teaching, training and learning.

Contributors Anamaria Camargo [email protected] Anamaria Camargo has worked in the EFL field since 1986, first as a teacher and supervisor, and for the past three years as academic coordinator at Associacao Cultural Brasil-Estados Unidos (ACBEU) Salvador. She has been part of the Web Course Development Group at ACBEU, responsible for the development of an online course directed to teacher training and development. Presently she is doing a Master of Education in eLearning at the University of Hull, England.

Jean-Marc Hetsch [email protected] Jean-Marc works as financial and IT manager in the network central office of Reseau des Entreprises d'Entrainement ou Pedagogiques Euro Ent'Ent, France. He has been a Microsoft Certified Professional since 1997 and has developed and used several online pedagogical support tools within vocational training. He has been involved in the management and development of several EU-funded projects and is currently leading the French team for the EU Leonardo project ISEeTT.

Carol Fereday [email protected] Carol has over 25 years' experience in education as a senior manager, management studies lecturer, EFL teacher and staff development trainer. She now works as a part-time online project coordinator for Strategic Leadership in ICT (SLICT) at the University of Hull and as a freelance educational consultant with the National College of School Leadership (NCSL). She maintains a professional research interest in how the users' online language style contributes to the communication objectives.

Patrick Lynch [email protected] For over 15 years Patrick has helped to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning working within a number of subject disciplines to embed good practice. He now works as the e-learning operations manager in the Centre for e-learning Development at the University of Hull where his role is very much about enhancing teaching and learning within the university. Patrick is currently researching online games-based communities and informal learning.

Jane Harris [email protected] Jane is an experienced teacher, trainer and presenter and now works as the business development manager for 'Nord Anglia eLearning', promoting its innovative online learning platform known as the Virtual-Workspace, serving the needs of 25,000 learners and staff in over 80 LEA schools in the UK. As a member of the national UK team for the EU Leonardo project ISEeTT, Jane helped to formulate appropriate, standardized training for e-tutors.

6

Mark A. Pegrum [email protected] Mark has taught in the areas of EFL/ESL, German and French language, culture and history, and before returning to Australia was programme coordinator for the award-winning online distance learning Masters in Teaching Modern Languages to Adults at the University of Dundee, Scotland. He now works as a lecturer at the Graduate School of Education in the University of Western Australia and his main research focuses on online teaching, cultural implications of Western pedagogical models, and the emergence of electronic English.

Klaus Reich [email protected] Klaus studied at the University of Innsbruck and Milltown Institute, Dublin and now works for the Institute for Future Studies, Innsbruck. Current activities include several EU-runded projects with a strong focus on technology-supported informal learning and the use of ICT in public and business education. He is also managing director of ORIENTE, a research network focusing on the evaluation of research tackling educational, institutional, organizational and symbolic aspects of new learning environments mediated by ICT. Hilary Thomas [email protected] After taking a degree in philosophy and working as a psychiatric nurse, Hilary moved into education and has been working in the area of distance learning at Lancaster University for around 14 years. Her current role is as programme manager for distance and flexible learning in the Department of Continuing Education. Her main interest is in supporting students to let themselves take risks and to reflect on what learning means.

Daniel Vulliamy [email protected] Daniel has worked in the world of trade union education since the late 1970s and is currently senior lecturer in industrial relations in the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Hull. He is interested in the way that trade unions challenge power structures in society, and tries to support that process through supporting individual and organizational learning. He is currently working with Shirley Bennett to develop an online foundation degree for trade union activists. Gilbert Zvobgo [email protected] Gilbert has a PhD in Industrial and Business Studies from Warwick University, an MBA in International Business from the University of Birmingham, and a BSc (Hons) in Politics and Administration from the University of Zimbabwe. He is also a qualifed teacher. He works as a lecturer in international marketing at London South Bank University and is an online full-time MBA tutor. Gilbert is currently doing a Master of Education in eLearning at the University of Hull.

77

CONTENTS Resource Map

12

Acknowledgements

28

Part One Making the Handbook Work for You Who is this Handbook for? Is there a limitation in appeal? Why a recipe book? What is active learning? Can online learning be active learning? How is the Handbook organized? How to use this book Recipes - using them or adapting them How are the activities structured? Using the activities - the e-tutor role in promoting active learning online

Part Two Resources for Promoting Active Learning Online 1 Resources for building confidence for online learning First steps in using the tools

30 30 30 32 32 34 35 36 36 39

43 44 46

RBC1 Finding your way around ... actively!

46

RBC2 Where do I go next?

50

Getting to know the other members of your online group

8

29

54

RBC3 Where do you come from?

54

RBC4 Is there anyone in my group who ...?

57

RBC5 True or false?

60

Online socialization

63

RBC6 Time for tea?

63

RBC7 Ideas at play

67

RBC8 Your time to shine ... anonymously

71

2 Resources for promoting understanding of online learning The nature of online learning

74 76

RPUOL1 Online learning - the same or different?

76

RPUOL2 Learner choice - online or face to face?

79

RPUOL3 What's my style?

83

RPUOL4 Doing it online!

91

Roles in online learning

95

RPUOL5 Expectations rematch

95

RPUOL6 Dynamics or dynamite

100

Establishing the norms

105

RPUOL7 The need for netiquette

105

RPUOL8 Our online community - agreeing the house rules

114

3 Resources for learning to learn actively online

118

Organizational skills

120

RLL1 24 hours in a day

120

RLL2 Teamwork online - getting the job done on time

127

RLL3'Spinning a meaningful web'

133

Information skills

139

RLL4 Searching and finding

139

RLL5 Fool's gold or the real thing?

144

RLL6 Using ICT tools for note-taking

149

RLL7 This is what we want to know

154

RLL8 Sharing responses to reading

158

Writing skills

163

RLL9 Building the plans

163

RLL10 Using and abusing tools to improve writing style

169

RLL11 Writing bees

173

9

4 Resources for promoting active approaches to study Learning through collaboration

178 180

RPAAS1 Sharing out the workload

180

RPAAS2 Piecing the jigsaw together - web-questing

185

RPAAS3 Behind the scenes

190

RPAAS4 Time to think RPAAS5 The game of spot the difference?

Learner-led learning

198 205

210

RPAAS6 Learning outcomes - learner choice

210

RPAAS7 Building a collaborative bank

215

RPAAS8 Online seminar

218

RPAAS9 Round and round we go

222

Supporting work-based learning

227

RPAAS10 Learn ing contracts

227

RPAAS11 A guide on the side ... active support for the mentor-mentee relationship RPAAS12 Alone ...yet not alone!

236

RPAAS13 Presenting posters

242

5 Resources for assessment and active learning online Assessing skills

246 248

RAAL01 SWOT for progress in learning online

248

RAAL02 Here's the evidence to prove it!

254

RAAL03 Topical role-play

261

RAAL04 Focus work

266

Assessing knowledge and understanding

270

RAAL05 Quizzical

270

RAAL06 Summary reflections

274

RAAL07 Making your portfolio work for you

278

RAAL08 Together we stand or fall

282

Engaging learners with the learning and assessment process

10

232

288

RAAL09 Negotiated assessment criteria

288

RAAL010 Peer review for assessment and learning

294

RAAL011 Learning journals

297

RAAL012 Redrafting for success

301

6 Resources for dealing with the unexpected Patterns of participation

306 308

RDU1 Just browsing

308

RDU2 Take a back seat

312

RDU3 Twists of fate

315

RDU4 Chat time

318

Avoiding and handling disagreements

321

RDU5 Question of culture

321

RDU6 A joke is a joke - was that funny?

325

RDU7 Flaming practice

327

Enabling student representation online

330

RDU8 Listening to the learner voice

330

RDU9 Suggestion box chat

334

References Glossary Index

336 339 342

11

ld=frMIIrta1'l flTilJ

1 Building confidence for online learning

First Steps in using the tools

RBC1 Finding your WHV nrtjuntl actively!

Individual activity for active exploration of the different areas within the online learning platform; e-learners gain confidence in using the online environment as they carry out small tasks using the various online tools.

RBCZ where do Itfo next?

Treasure Hunt hy text message: huilding confidence in using mohik

RBC3 When.- do you come from?

Ice-breaker involving learners In sharing websites giving information about the context where they are living and working; e-learners explore the websites and start to get 10 know each other and the places where they are based.

nes for communicating in a foreign language; learners improve their confidence and language skills as they follow instructions to move around the town.

know the RBC*

Survey activity helping e-leamers to get to know each other; e-learners Other 'S thcrt anyont in choose questions to ask the other members of the online community and members of my firtnlp who '" ? as tnc answers nre sought the communication helps to build the online your online community. group

Online socialization

RBC5 True or false;1

pair work activity to help e-learners introduce themselves to another member of the virtual group; each e-learner includes one piece of'false 1 information among the answers they give and the aim of discussion is to use questions to get to know the other person better and discover the truth!

RBC6 Time for tea?

The use of a 'cafe area' alongside a course to provide opportunities for socializing and informal interaction in parallel to the more study-oriented activities.

RBC7 ' ' '

1
RBC8 Your time to shim... anonymously

D

A light-hearted activity to encourage spontaneous communication online * Develop 8rouP working relationships between the e-learners by encouraging humour online.

arlt

An anonymous brainstorm intended to build e-learncr confidence in expressing (heir views online; e-learners are invited to make anonymous contributions on a topic related to the content of the course.

Which type of course? For use on courses that are wholly online

For use on blended learning toursei

When during a course?

What type of learner?

For use at for use Few use at Extended For use tht staff of mtd-way in any point m acti^Jly - with dduta an online an online an online ihrcuHjiioul returning coufie towr^e :ours? thetcujftt to learning

For use wttti leameu new to online learning

FQI use with experiented online le^rner^

For individual/ group work? Involving incfivirJual actrvt^

Activity involving work in paiti

Activity involving work in small groups

Activity rnvohring work as a utricle group

Learner mafi^^^d activity

IB

^^^^^^^^^^^3 2 Resources for promoting understanding of online learning

RPUOL1 Qiilirif k';]rhih^ ihi- >;iti!t or dill'tron!?

Active exploration of the nature of online learning compared with faceto-face learning; the activity is designed to he used pan-way into an online course so as to use and huild on learners' experience of learning online.

RPUOL2 Of Online

<"Him-<,rfaa-t»

learning

ian f

Activity exploring the different motivations for taking an online course; e-lcarners reflect on their own motivation for learning online and compare it with those ol their online colleagues; they discuss ihe implications of these motivations for the course iiself.

RPUOL3 Whal's my style?

Individual activity exploring learning styles and their implications Tor learning online.

RPUOL4 Doing ii online!

Reflection on learners' previous experiences of learning in groups on lace-to-iace courses and use of this reflection to explore the issue of group work online.

RPUOL5

Diary activity comparing learner and tutor views of the role and activity of the online tutor and the implications for the role ofe-learners.

The nature

^trm^-\«»^-

'

Hx|>i'('T:itinns

Roles in online learning

n-miiicii RPUOLB Dynamics nr dyrumik1

Establishing the norms

RPUOL7 Thi 1 ni'cil iiir iu > li<|urltc

Case study activity exploring the rules of netiquette and applying them to discussion of ease studies focusing on problems that can easily arise on an online course.

RPUOL8

'Pyramid' activity in which e-learncrs work first in small groups, and then as a whole group, to identify appropriate house rules for their online group.

Our()nl[n ,

i"<>minuTii)y agriTiii|* the house ruk's

14

Group activity exploring the stages of group formation and group working, reflecting on how these stages apply to their group work online.

Which type of course? K/ ji-- -^ L^Li^ei i^.if jit •i1.! r-iiy or-':n&

FIT .;'K •;:• r!-i-=H^ :e-Tr-nr; r:.-LrSeS

When during a course? F--r i;^1 .][ ^hestano' jn r jnl PM • u j'SF

\" j^. 'Ti:i ,v.Tf ir jr 1 ^nlmv i-Mi'.^

K- -i^- -j; Fnfro-d 3-ivp--...r i t r: j.."r, iy/in r/r'ne Nirr,i;y'iDui •.^M^1f lfl i"-l.r>

What type of learner? Ity JSP ^"U:E, "?t-j'r-in-] F(i !i'jriiin:j

w :h

^K j^c ,vn -H.iTuJr^ r r,v f'j Dnl-fi-? Ir-rUrn'i-j

^JJ Ui1? 'h dJpf>:nci?
rt

For individual/ group work? In-.-rjvrfj md-vdu,^ d^-v.rv

Ar.Nvity irivolv.r-j '.vou n i:^i!f,

'Vt^-Mv in^l\n;j v^O'k :r !,'il:'i; ^CLD?

A'.T-viiy rvovf:-; •.vji* -v.- a •i'rNi.-lp ;;icuf-

! e-jnif- 1 i::-ir:H^".J j-;livii>

B

^^^^^^^^^^^Q 3 Resources for learning to learn actively online

Organisational skills

Information Skills

Writing Skills

RLL1 ?A lidiirs it] a day

Time management activity in which e-learncrs explore how (hey will 111 work Tor iheir c-learning course around other responsibilities and activities in their lives with particular emphasis on the best way to manage the online and offline aspens.

RLL2

Small group planning activity in which c-teartK'rs map out the steps lluil need lo he completed in order lo achieve an online project within a given lime-frame, ti-learners experience the challenges of collaboration and work management online and lessons learned from this feed into their considerations during the planning.

Toiimwi>rk

.""I'"'' -Pwi'H-Job

dnni1 (in HUH'

RLL3 'Spinning a meaningful wi-h'

Mind-mapping aciiviiy in which the power of mind-mapping software to capture and organize ideas in a structured way is combined with the inieraetivc potential the Internet offers to enable sharing of mindmap-based planning and gain feedback and help from online peers.

RLL4 Searching and finding

Individual activity in which e-learners develop the skills needed lo search effectively on the Internet, bookmark links to websites they find useful, and reference ('-resources accurately in a bibliography.

RLL5

Tool's jlii i>r ilit n-;il lliinj!?

Small group activity that exploils the opportunities for collaborative work offered by the Internet to involve c-learners in discussing the usefulness of different websites in order to complete a joint evaluation of the most suitable resources for a given purpose.

RLL6

Activity that introduces c-learners to a range of ICT tools which

using irr [<>ois r»r enhance note taking, particularly when making notes on electronic notc-laking

resources. Through collaboration with online peers they explore different note-taking sirategies lo establish and refine their own slyle.

RLL7 This is what we want to know

Web searching based on identifying information gaps in order to undertake focused information searches and exchange findings with online colleagues.

RLL8 Sharing ri-sponsi's lu reading

Hair work activity helping to develop reading skills ihrough critical response to websites; e-learners challenge each other to explain how their response to material from chosen websites relates to their experience and other reading.

RLL9 Building I IK- plans

In this activity e-learners work logeiher to plan a piece of writing: they learn from each other and develop their own skills in the supportive context of a collaborative group, where all members .share ownership and responsibility for the plan.

RLL10 Using and abusing KioK to improve

Tutor-supported learning activity in which learners are encouraged to explore and use the ICT tools that can help to check and improve the accuracy of writing; learners keep a reflective log lo record the types of mistake within their work :md their progress over time.

writing slylc

RLL11 Writing hues

Collaborative writing task in which each e-learner drafts one paragraph from a given essay plan and then works online in a small group to combine the separate paragraphs logether into a complete lexi.

Which type of course? ^o: i;i*cn •;oijf^s il'irt: Lift •i-.-hijllv 0'i-ini?

For use^n hlfrtri^fl learrnrQ ttiiirse^

When during a course? For use ffC for u^e ihf viflfi ;>' nd-'ivay^r jn onhrii? jn online iOyiiJ? liiiur^e

Fo1 ^seaT ExTffiflH any poir^ m anivily an c-nlmi? rnioygti^ut t&ufiij ihe coufif

What type of learner? ?0f u^ *i!h aduLr.s rPTu'nmi; to learning

For u$e wi(*i IE^FL^ ri^w to on hn% itcirnm^

Fo? UL*v,ilti ?xp^i^rx;^.J orJme lejrn^r:

For individual/ group work? Ir.vtjfvmg md:V!ilu-al jiCT^'ity

Activity -n'.'Oivir.g wf-fk n panrs

Activity involving AQft m imall groups

Atlivity inu-rjlving w.i'fe ^i^i wtiolp (jrojp

learn^f' man^g^J ACdvC^

F!m«Tn!T?jyFm 4 Resources for promoting active approaches to study

RPAAS1 Sharing inn i l i c worklnail

Group aciivily in which the collaborative potential of ihc Iniernet is t'xploiK'd to L'nahk- |);mifip;itns in ;in onlint toursi- to shart 1 tin 1 fiiurst 1 workloiid ;inion^ group rnt-inhcrs in ri'spoiisi1 lo iin-Eis ut'i-xpiTtisi 1 , indiviiluiil skills, workphur role. vie. Individual work li-eds i n t u i-oilaboraiivc discussion for mutual benefit ;ind L-nhuticeniunt.

RPAAS2

A wL'b-tjucsi activity in which panicipanis unclenake individual infnrmiilion searches and tlii-n share findings in order to explore varying poinis of view on a f^iveti lopie or situation.

I'kviriH I'"-' ji^.iw ni^i-llicr - well[im-'.tiiiff

Learning through collaboration

Learner-led learning

"1"" >^""<""™

This activity is based around preparation for an employ men t tribunal online role-play. Il explores lite way ibal online teaming fan lie used Id enable more thorough and collaborative preparation lor a role-play iban is often possible in a purely f'aee-io-face context.

RPAAS4 '[ imc [o l l i i n k : ,i\Vndi n u n >us tcxt-liasrtl I'nrifcri'iKiriji as ii ;i[iiifi [oiil

Activity usintf asynchronous text-based con fere ncing as a debating tool; e-k-arners develop skills such as reviewing materials, constructing arguments and online debating.

RPAAS5 Tin- tfarm- of spot i hi1 dM'IVrftKYV

A decision-making game based on ihe principle of'spol the difference* and involving e-learners in information si-arching, discussion, prioritizing and decision-making, all in the context of an online game.

RPAA56 I.i':iniiiij< milconifs kariKT diuici-

Negotiated syllabus activity for learner-lvd learning in w h i c h the e-learners are given responsibility for identifying and prioritising learning needs within overall course focus and collaborating wtlb others lo establish topics to he covered within an online course.

RPAAS7 rtiiililinji :i

Liroup activity in which learners use a blog or wiki to create their own shared resource bank that both belongs to, and ean be used by, all ihe members of the group involved.

uiihhor.mw ii:mk RPAAS8 lliilim- M-iiiiriar

Online seminar in which e-learners contribute actively lo online discussion of a topic t h a t they have explored independently and bring points from iheir individual work into the group forum.

RPAAS9 Kuu rid and round

A guided personal research a c l i v i l y in which individual e-learners explore different aspeels of a central topic through a process of e-iutor-faeilitatwl cyclical learning.

Mil' ^(1

m

1 of 2

Which type of course? 's.'.-r i-is? -r •:-..".r^ t^i! Ji >r .vl-niiy 01 -HP

iy <±w on h-li'ndirf* Itarn.pg ci,-i.rsr r j

When during a course? fc' uiea; lh«?^o?' CJl Ah in I if i? ;ou^^

What type of learner?

For use Fsr u>e at F*teriderj For i/;* m'd ^jy In Jnypoirit m activity with jfJulU -10 online ,]n unlin-e iliroun^houi refining course Luuf^t Tn^ Cfj-.i^i1 ^i^nrnir.c

For i/^? wi'h i^arfitfi nr-w :c. cNn-' learning

For us? with •fA^nprn.tti nn'me i^rui-rs

For individual/ group work? invLk-ng individual JCiivily

Aciviiy mvo'^ng tvoilt m p^i:'

AfTi^ity rivo'-.'.ng rtor* m 'iiT-.cHI g!0-JHrji

Actsvi[y involving ^uik. dL a .vfw^ jfc-up

Leamernnanjged JCtwity

19

I fl 3JMIJ M =1 LTJ M J 4 Resources for promoting active approaches to study

RPAAS10 [.filming ran(r;ift>

RPAAS11

A guirlr on I hi-

Supporting worit-based Iearnltl

9

si(k RPAAS12

Alum^-yum,, ill one!

RPAAS13 Pri'si'nliil^ jHiskTS

20

2 of 2

This activity introduces e-learners 10 the notion of learning contracts and provides a supportive collaborative environment in which they can get started on writing one appropriate to their own work-based teaming context and learning needs. Activity in which the course tutor takes advantage of the online environment to provide distance support to work-based learners and their mentors. Small group activity in which individual learners work with others within an action set to evaluate the effectiveness of their individual action plans for work-based teaming projects; the use of online action sets provides a mechanism for online mutual support. Activity based on the principle of a conference poster presentation session. The use of the asynchronous online context allows e-learners to both respond to questions about their own poster and to 'visit* and question others on theirs.

Which type of course? For use on courses thai are wholly online

For use on blended leaning cum

When during a course?

What type of learner?

lor use at For use Fee use at Emended Fw uie thestsrtof mJd-wayin afiypointin soiviiy- wirNadults an online an online an online throughout returning cou(M course rourse thecouise loiearning

For use with learners newto onlNtt learning

for use with experterxed online Iwrnsis

For individual/ group work? Involving individual dCliviTy

Activity involving work in pans

Activity imolung worSt in small graups

Activity involving wock d^d whole group

Learnermanaged ^^tivity

a

• [\ 4>t«itj :M jflfj J 5 Resources for assessment and active learning online

RAAL01 SWOT fur |>rn^ri^s in k-;irniii}f diilim-

RAAL02 \\viv\ ilu-

Assessing Skills

I'viiinirt' to provr !

"

RAAL03 Topkiil rolf-j)l;iy

RAAL04 I:«i'us wnrk

understanding

In this activity self-assessment of participation and contribution tu online discussion is used to generate evidence to satisfy the learning uutcomes to he achieved through their contributions to online discussion. In tins activity an online role-phiy is put forward ;is ;i meaningful context tor (inline communication and discussion in order to enable e-learncrs to achieve well within semi-authentic interaction. The activity provides the e-nilor with an opportunity to assess the learners' abilily to take responsibility tor their own learning and focus on their specific learning interests and needs as a basis Tor self-directed research.

Online quizzes for formative assessment in peer groups: c-learncrs review course content as they collaborate to create qui/ws for their peers and relied on their own learning as seen in their achievement in the qui/zcs they themselves complete.

RAAL06

Similar to assessment of a learning journal, this activity enables a locus un knowledge and understanding through the assessment ol a summary of" the learning log itselt. targeted to clear learning outcomes.

-(!„>»>RAALO7

Making your „„„„„;„ W()rt

for you

RAAL08 TojJCtlllT WC

"(lurid nr full

22

SWOT analysis activity involving individual e-learners in mtoisupported formative sell-assessment of" their skills for online learning and participation in online discussion.

RAAL05 Oui//ir:il

Sum rim ry

Assessing knowledge

1 of 2

This activity extends the use ol' portfolio building to evidence achievement of learning outcomes by using the communication potential of the Internet to facilitate peer review of online portfolios and constructive feedback that feeds forwards into deeper understanding and improved portfolio work. Activity involving assessment of both individual and group elements of collaborative assignments. The process involves lutor assessment of individuals' contribution 10 the joint 'product' and peer assessment of individuals' contribution to the group work process.

Which type of course? lu- j<e on f ..jur>ei :ridt jit; •,l/i":-'V oHhf

for UH? on Tj^ndfd !«rni:ig ;ojrses

When during a course? Fir L:W J[ tne start af $f\ onim? cour^;?

What type of learner?

F;jf uvi? For use i! Extended Fci ui? niid-w.iv in ai'.vfKiml in artijghoul re'uffiiny tin onime tourif ^ou'if Thf^Tji-i!? 'niea'rvrg

for use witK Iramtn n^A (o onii'H' learrmrj

For U*P with cxpfr^ritet! on.me l?jrnprs

For individual/ group work? l-Tj&Knng mrjividua^ 3'i'ivily

AciiviTy involviog work m P(H?V

Aclivity invoking ^orf in, sm.il! groups

Activity evolving -.vtrk^o whole 4]i-:iup

Le^ri^:managed SCliviT)1

El

nyWiTMJTTiJ 5 Resources for assessment and active learning online

RAALO9 Ni-^dliaii-d ilSSt-SSim-ll! ITillTLil

RAAL010 IVrr review I'nr

Engaging learners with the learning alt(1

assessment process

-™'" -'<' ™rnia*

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24

2 of 2

Activity involving learners in developing assessment criteria appropriate to their course and using them in peer assessment; learners negotiate assessment criieria related to course aims and objectives. Assessment strategy usintf the collaborative potential of the online context to engage students witb critical friend' review of each other's work in order to develop critical and analytical thinking and deepen e-learncrs' own understanding of course content through review ol'the work of their online colleagues. Activity in which rcilective journals are used as a means nf both promoting reflective learning and enabling continuous assessment of progress in learning: the online context allows the c-lulor regular access to the work of learners and the opportunity to give regular feedback that itsclTcnn feed into further development. A process o I learner-man aged learning that encourages and enables e-leamers to regularly review and redraft work in a cyclical approach to learning and assessment in which the tutor provides ongoing formative assessment and feedback on work.

Which type of course? Rjf use on courses Thir, are wholly Online

For use on blended learning courses

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Activity 10 address the issue of'browsers and linkers' in the online environment by encouraging learners 10 reflect on their own and others' reasons for contribution and non-contribution to online discussions exploring barriers to participation and encouraging both increased participation and greater understanding. Activity to address fluctuations in patterns of online interaction and the tendency for e-learners to depend on the tutor to take the lead in online discussion. Learners are given the role of facilitators of online discussions and develop skills that then help enable learner interdependence in ongoing work. Activity suggesting proactive use of blogs to record participation within small group collaboration as a way of managing instances where a group member may have to drop out of the course. The record of group and individual work provides a basis for reconstituting groups if this becomes necessary and allows any new group members to catch up on past work by the group. Activity suggesting that even on an online course where asynchronous communication may be the norm, the use of real-time chat can provide a change of pace, opportunity for more direct contact and easier means of decision-making that can be used to handle problems such as loss of motivation, failure to progress with, etc.

Activity intended to address the challenge of managing diverse online groups. Working as a group the e-learners explore cultural values and attitudes influencing behaviour online in order to develop understanding of cultural differences and how they affect learning within the e-learning context. Activity focusing on humour in the online learning context to address instances where difficulties are caused among online learners because opinions differ as ti> what is funny.

RDU7 Flaming pradirr

A light-hearted activity intended to manage personality clashes and other conflicts within the online environment by identifying flaming, exploring the consequences of leaving it to fester, and suggesting ideas of what to do if it happens.

RDU8

Asynchronous staff-student meetings held online within the online learning platform as a means of facilitating learner representation and online consultation in any context where learner attendance at facc-toface meetings is problematic. This may occur on wholly online courses, courses spread across multiple sites or even predominantly lace-to-face courses involving adult and/or part-time students.

l.istrnint! to the learner voice

Enabling student representation online RDU9 Suggestion hex ehal

Informal staff-student discussion held synchronously at any point when discontent, dissent or disagreement arises within an online group.

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Acknowledgements We would like to thank the contributors who allowed us to include their activities within the book, enriching the range of experience reflected in the resources. We would also like to thank the students who have experienced our e-learning activities first-hand and whose reactions and responses have contributed to their development. Finally, we thank our families and friends who have encouraged and supported us, and thereby made the book possible.

28

Part One Making the Handbook Work for You

Who is the Handbook for? This book is for education and training professionals working with adult learners and/or young adults within a wide range of education and training contexts. You might be involved with higher or further education, work within continuing professional development or industry training, or you may be based in the adult and community education or trade union education sectors.

You may be working with individuals or with groups of learners, and may be involved in courses delivered wholly online or in contexts where there is a blend of traditional face-to-face or even paper-based distance delivery and online learning. You will almost certainly be someone who feels it is important for their learners to be actively involved in the learning experience, and who are looking for ideas as to how they can promote active engagement of their e-learners online just as you strive to enable active participation by learners in the classroom or other learning environments. You may be working in any of a whole range of disciplines and teaching or supporting learners on courses in a wide variety of subjects. You will find that most of the activities in the book are written in such a way that they can be applied to, or adapted to suit, your own content area, almost as they stand. Simply by inserting the relevant topic areas and referring your e-learners to appropriate websites and other resources, you will have a bank of contextualized online teaching strategies that can be used at various stages in an online course. Some of the activities are written reflecting a distinct subject or professional focus, and the sample message postings (SMPs) and other resources provided as illustrations of how the activities are set up have content clearly reflecting the courses from which they come. However, in all cases it is the idea behind the activity that is paramount and all are written in such a way as to enable you to see how the activity works and adapt it to other content areas or alternative professional or learning contexts.

Is there a limitation in appeal? This book reflects the fact that online learning is currently used primarily with young adults and adult learners and the majority of activities are designed with this age range in mind. However, some of the activities are also appropriate for younger learners coming online as reflected in new initiatives such as the e-learning 'pathfinder' project, The Virtual-Workspace 1 , developed for the local education authorities (LEAs) of Wolverhampton and Worcestershire, and used by approximately 21,000 learners and 3,600 educators from over 60 schools/colleges. The activity RALG11 ieils2: The game of spot the difference? \s based on a project involving online interaction between school classes in different EU countries.

Why a recipe book?

30

Having taught English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in a former life, I shared the tendency for EFL teachers to make copious use not only of 'course books', laying

out the language and skills to be covered by a group at a particular level and providing a somewhat regular pattern of materials and activities to support that curriculum, but also more general resource books of adaptable materials and activities. These we would scour for ideas as to how to do things a little differently new strategies we could use to revisit the same language area or skill without boring our learners with obvious repetition, and to bring a little variety into our own teaching activity. Among these many resource books there was one particular series - Pilgrims Longman Resource Books (Lindstromberg) - that I found especially useful. One volume was actually called The Recipe Book: Practical ideas for the language classroom, but that in effect is the form taken by all the books in the series, arising, Seth Lindstromberg tells us, from The custom for Pilgrims3 teachers to share novel activities by pinning them up on the "recipe board" for use, adaptation and comment1, (Lindstromberg 1990, xi). Occasionally I would find and use an activity targeted at the specific language point I had to teach. More frequently, the activity provided a reusable 'recipe' or frame, into which I could 'pour' the content focus of my lesson, an idea I could adapt to the needs and learning preferences of my learners. I feel there is the same need within online learning and teaching today. The bare bones of course outlines and materials are still there although the range of resource types and different media available to support learning today is much more extensive: video, still images, audio, interactive multi-media, websites and even hard copy that can be digitized to become the 'ingredients' or raw material of the online learning or blended learning course. This resource book provides examples and ideas of how the wealth of new ingredients available to us can be utilized alongside more traditional resources within activities designed to support active learning online and to provide e-tutors choice and variety in designing for learning delivered via the Internet. The book is directed to the needs of the multitude of tutors working within formal education or, for example, within adult, community and trade union education who are looking for ideas to enable that choice and variety. Traditionally, many of these sectors are accustomed to promoting active, learner-centred learning within their classrooms and may be sceptical about the possibility of recreating the same level of experiential learning, active engagement and learning through social interaction when working in the online context. I would not want to go as far as one former student with experience of collaborative learning online, who declared within an online conference that the online environment was the only context in which social constructivist learning could take place effectively! However, this resource book does aim to provide teachers moving into work within e-learning with concrete examples of active, learner-centred activities that can work, materials which are, in the main, not there for 'one-off use, but are recipes for approaches and interactions that can be used in many different contexts to promote learning in a wide variety of subject contexts. They are thus intended to help those new to e-learning to make the

312

transition into the online context, offering a selection of resources they can choose from, suggested activities that they can adapt to their own individual teaching style as they gradually develop their own personal online teaching presence.

What is active learning? The main principle of 'active learning' is that

We learn by doing. Research shows that active learning is much better recalled, enjoyed and understood. Active methods require us to 'make our own meaning', that is, develop our own conceptualisations of what we are learning. During this process we physically make neural connections in our brain, the process we call learning. Passive methods such as listening do not require us to make these neural connections or conceptualisations. (Petty) So active learning means using an approach that involves e-learners in doing something for their learning. It means involving learners in learning activities that are 'authentic to the work and social contexts in which the skills or knowledge are normally embedded ... related to real-world tasks and situations'(Stephenson 2001, 18). Learners may be involved in researching information; they are expected to engage in 'processing' that information, with support and direction from the teacher, and often in collaboration with others, to create meaning that is personally relevant to them. In other words, active learners do not passively receive information from others, as empty vessels that simply receive what others 'pour' into them. Instead, the learners have a central role in a 'unified process where teachers and students have important, complementary responsibilities' (Garrison and Anderson 2003, 64). This shift in learner and teacher roles means that the tutor is more likely to facilitate the approaches to learning selected by individual learners but this does not mean that the role of the tutor is marginalized. The effective active learning experience involves a partnership process. The teacher continues to have an important role in identifying relevant and appropriate learning outcomes (setting the overall curriculum), in designing experiences and activities that will engage learners in the experience and critical reflection in order to make sense of what they learn, in managing the process of activity (e.g. setting time parameters) and in assessing the achievement of learning outcomes. However, while maintaining an overall role as a 'teaching presence' within an active learning approach, the teacher may share this role with the learners as students are encouraged and enabled to 'become self-directed and to manage and monitor their own learning appropriate to the task and their ability1 (Garrison and Anderson 2003, 71).

Can online learning be active learning?

32

Although not appreciated or exploited by early versions of e-learning, many people feel that the use of the Internet as a tool for learning lends itself very well to these features of active learning:

When some people look at the Internet, they see it as a way to deliver instruction. When other people look at it, they see a huge database for students to explore. When I look at the Internet, I see a new medium for construction, a ne opportunity for students to discuss, share and collaborate on constructions. (Garrison and Anderson 2003, 39)

It is clear that the second and, especially, the third of these views of the role of the Internet in learning have active learning and the idea that learners should be, and can be, active participants in their own learning at their core. Indeed, from the whole range of 'features of online learning 1 that Joh Stephenson argues 'should be of particular interest to teachers and learners', we might pick out a good number which particularly lend themselves to encouraging and enabling the e-learners to take the active, involved, approach to their learning, namely: • easy access to and interrogation of high volumes of diverse learning resources ...; • dialogue: teacher-student, student-student, specialist closed groups, open groups, in real time (synchronous) or over a period of time (asynchronous), one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many; • routine recording of all... threads of discussions, and development of argument; • access to a range of personal support by email with tutor and mentors, or through specialist or peer discussion groups; • ease of navigation to sources and persons... according to the interests and needs of the learner; and • opportunities for working 'live1 in collaboration with others from anywhere in the world. (adapted from Stephenson 2001, 220) The interesting thing about all of the foregoing, the factor which above all enables active involvement of learners within their learning as well as merely encouraging such an attitude, is, as Stephenson argues, the fact that e-learning also has the potential to allow learners to control all of the features we have listed from their own computer. Increased access to the Internet at home and in the workplace makes this a viable and versatile mode of learning and relatively easy to access. In addition, when e-learners have as much access to information as their e-tutors, when they have the responsibility to manage their own work and time to fit their learning into a busy working week in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of other e-learners with whom they are collaborating, then it is inevitable that the roles of 'learner' and 'tutor' will change and evolve. If the aim is to encourage the learners to take greater control over and responsibility for their learning it stands to reason that the role of the tutor, while still important, will become more facilitative and less directive or prescriptive in nature.

33

Of course, opportunity alone is not enough; learners will not automatically know what the online environment has to offers, nor will they necessarily see these features as opportunities that offer advantages to them in their learning. Many students are concerned about working online. They see reduced social contact in learning contexts as a real threat. They are anxious about the lack of stimulus and fun from their 'buddies' and on the potential loss of a special relationship with their teachers, trainers and professors. Somehow, without them, a little magic seems lost! (Salmon 2002, 5) So, the Internet offers opportunities for active learning, but learners have to be guided in order that they adapt to the new context if they are to benefit from it. As well as being supported while gaining the confidence to communicate online, which Gilly Salmon terms 'online socialization 1 (Salmon 2002, 20), an important part of any online learning experiences will be activities designed to develop their awareness of the new context and the ways in which it compares with their previous learning experience. They have to understand the roles and functions that will be expected of them, appreciate the opportunities that are open to them and find ways to address the challenges they will face. The activities suggested within the section Resources for Promoting Understanding of Online Learning are designed to do just that, enabling them to move forward to benefit from the exciting opportunities for active involvement in learning, and in assessment, such as those suggested in the sections Resources for Promoting Active Approaches to Study and Resources for Assessment and Active Learning Online.

How is the Handbook organized? Activities in Part Two of the book are organized into six broad areas of working with learners online: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

34

Resources for Resources for Resources for Resources for Resources for Resources for

Building Confidence for Online Learning Promoting Understanding of Online Learning Learning to Learn Actively Online Promoting Active Approaches to Study Assessment and Active Learning Online Dealing with the Unexpected.

Within these sections you will find references to relevant activities in other sections of the book. You will also find cross-references and links between tasks within the activities themselves. The order of the different sections reflects an overall process in working with learners online and in a sense reflects the various stages in a journey from just getting started online to some more complex and involved activities. Resources for Building Confidence for Online Learning suggests resources that will help the e-tutor to work with e-learners at a point equivalent to stages one

and two of Gilly Salmon's five-step model (, 2000, 25-30). It includes tasks to engage new e-learners in starting to explore and use the online learning platform, and activities for 'online socialization', getting to know each other and to build learner confidence and trust in communicating with others in the learning community online. Resources for Promoting Understanding of Online Learning are not dissimilar. Many will most typically be used early in an online learning course, helping participants to explore the nature and norms of online learning, laying the foundation for a successful online learning experience and helping learners to adapt to the new mode of learning. The following sections address the 'stuff of online learning itself, activities t develop and assess both skills and areas of knowledge and understanding. Resources for Learning to Learn Actively Online suggests activities to develop skills for active learning in the world of study online or otherwise. It reflects the fact that many older learners need the information skills for interacting with Internet and other e-resources and the organizational skills necessary in a life where study competes with family and work responsibilities in very many study contexts, but especially when learning online. Resources for Promoting Active Approaches to Study suggests reusable and adaptable activities and approaches to facilitating learning for use with both individuals and groups on academic, work-based and other courses within the online or blended learning context. Resources for Assessment and Active Learning Online provides ideas for assessment activities that complement an active approach to learner-centred learning and a collaborative approach to learning online which pervades the book. Resources for Dealing with the Unexpected is designed to address some of the 'problems' that can arise within the implementation of online learning out of the life situations and personalities of learners and the reliability (or otherwise) of technology.

How to use this book This book is a resource book, almost a 'recipe book', comprising a collection of activities to promote active online learning. It is designed to be accessible, usable in a variety of ways, a handy resource you can 'dip into1 when looking for an activity for a particular purpose. You might approach the book by doing any of the following: skimming through all the various sections to get an overall idea of the range and types of activities it includes, an overview that will help you locate specific ideas on future occasions; exploring the table of Contents or Resource Map that outlines the wide variety of activity types to be found across each of the six sections which constitute the main structure of the book and the types of context in which they are likely to be most effective;

35

hoosing one particular section to look at in detail, for example you may be most interested in Resources for Promoting Active Approaches to Study or intrigued as to whether challenges you have encountered will be included in Resources for Dealing with the Unexpected and decide to look at these sections first; and cking out particular activities, at random, or to fit identified learning and teaching needs related to the groups you are working with. You might even start at the beginning, read Section 1 first and work your way methodically through the others one by one!

Recipes - using them or adapting them The secretary in a language school where I used to work concluded that the main skill required of a teacher was to be adept in the use of scissors, glue, white-out and a photocopier. None of the staff ever appeared to use teaching materials in their original form and the staffroom was a buzz as activities and resources were adapted to suit the learning needs of a particular group. What she was observing, of course, was the irrepressible creativity of the teacher, aware that even the relative fixed entity of an exercise on the printed page can be adapted in response to the rich complexity of the particular online teaching context and to the learning needs. The same is true, and expected, when working with the activities in this resource book. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, each is written according to one particular variant. One or two variations are given for a number of the tasks, but, online as face to face, the adaptations you can make are limited only by your imagination and the needs of your learners within your professional context.

How are the activities structured? Each idea is written as a 'recipe' for implementing active learning activities online, with the following structure:

36

ACTIVITY CATEGORY Activity code •

Activity title

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: The learning outcomes indicate the learning the activity is intended to develop in your e-learners.

•

Rationale The rationale explains how the activity can promote active learning online; it explains the ideas underlying the activity and places it in a wider context.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity The guidelines outline the activity of both e-tutor and e-learner

Interaction

-m preparing for the activity and through each stage.

Context

For quick reference/ease of activity choice the Focus, Interaction and Context provide a quick 'snapshot' of key aspects of each activity.

Sample message postings Examples of suitable messages to send to students for key stages of activities - providing instructions for them to follow, key information, context setting, etc.

Dependent resources Worksheets the e-learner needs to work with for the activity.

Activity variations/extensions This gives details of possible variations and extensions to the main activity.

37

For more information ... Details of websites, books, articles etc. that might be useful further reading.

38

Using the activities - the e-tutor's role in promoting active learning online As discussed above, activities for promoting active learning online do not run themselves. The first challenge is, of course, as Garrison and Anderson say: to consider which activities to include and how they will be integrated into a meaningful educational experience. Design and organisation are the first elements of teaching presence. (Garrison and Anderson 2003, 78) However, the e-tutor role is not simply one of choosing the mix of activities to put together as a learning 'menu1 and then leaving the e-learners to work their way through the work and get on with the learning. Just as in the active-learning classroom, promoting active learning online means an active role for the e-tutor as well as active engagement by e-learners: The teacher, or... the facilitator, plays a key role throughout the e-learning experience - even when discourse and activities are controlled by the students. The teacher is an ever-present and key person, managing and monitoring the process. (Garrison and Anderson 2003, 75) When approaching the implementation of the activities suggested in the book is the complexities and challenges of your own teaching context, it is worth taking time to ask yourself the following questions about your own role and your own activity as e-tutor: • What preparation will I need to do? • What will I need to do to 'manage' the activity, make sure it goes smoothly and move the e-learners through all the stages? • What support will the e-learners need from me? What problems might they have? • How closely will I need to be involved in student interaction? Do I need to summarize ideas, suggest resources, provide information? • How will I round the activity off and bring it to a close? In practice, of course, many of the answers to each of these questions are specific to the particular activity you choose to implement, and the detail provided in Guidelines for the e-Tutor reflects this, details that you will yourself adapt also to the learning, teaching and assessment needs of your own particular e-learners and professional situation. However, there are a number of key considerations to note when using many of the resources within the book:

39

Preparation In preparing for one of the activities it is necessary to plan and prepare individual spects of the activity such as timing, groupings and the particular topic area, content, etc. that will be the focus for the learning. Timings Except where a course has a system of continuous enrolment and fluid participation and pace, the overall course timings may well dictate when a particular activity can start and when it will end, perhaps with final submission of materials to you as e-tutor. Once the final deadline is known, you can work back to determine timescales for each stage of an activity and any interim deadlines that you would like the e-learners to meet. Groupings Many of the activities in the resource book involve work in small groups, with e-learners working as buddy groups offering mutual support, or learning sets, exploring the same study topic together. One of the issues you will need to consider is the size and membership of groups. All the usual factors will come into consideration, such as the requirements of the chosen activity, the needs of the learners on your course and the combination of personalities. However, in addition, the fluidity that is typical of the online learning context means that you may need to consider the patterns of learning within your e-learning group, when and how often the e-learners will access the online learning platform. Topic area Many of the activities within this handbook are deliberately 'content free'; instructions may refer to 'the topic under consideration', sample messages may invite you to 'insert topic here'. Other activities are presented as used in a particular learning context, with sample messages that illustrate use in relation to a specific subject area. However, all are intended to be usable, and indeed reusable for a variety of topics, perhaps with a different focus at different points in your overall online course.

40

Learning resources In approaching the use of this resource book you may be seeking frames for collaborative activities that can be used to promote discussion and interaction with prescribed courseware that already forms the raw material for student learning on your course. You will find that many of the activities can be exploited in this way since the learning materials assumed within the tasks are deliberately flexible and designed to be adaptable to a range of learning contexts. Indeed, the activities are designed to be usable by tutors who may not have access to particular learning software, and to allow those e-tutors to have a direct design relationship with the shape and focus of the learning experience. Most can be implemented using generic 'office' programs and with reference to websites or other e-resources, accessed

freely through a browser and search engine or via databases or portals to which your e-learners have access. Whatever type of learning materials or resources you choose to use, you will need to check learner access in terms of 'permissions', technical requirements, ease of navigation and skills required for their use. This may present particular difficulties where e-learners access the course on a distancelearning basis and where, for example, it will be necessary to ensure that remote access can be given to any networked resources. Instructions and guidance for tasks One of the most obvious differences between teaching in the classroom and working with the displacement of time and/or place within the online context is the removal of immediate feedback from the learners. Unclear or confusing instructions given in the classroom will typically be met with questions and puzzled looks on the faces of the people in front of you. Ambiguity in the wording for a task will be immediately obvious as the activity begins and the tutor finds that the learners are 'doing the wrong thing1. In either case, the opportunity for the tutor to clarify, reword, provide an example or otherwise correct misunderstanding is similarly immediate and confusion need not last for long. The contrast with the online context is obvious, as is the importance of careful, clear instructions. As Gilly Salmon advises: 'Be very specific about what you need your participants actually to do1 (Salmon 2002, 92). Within this handbook sample message postings are provided for you to use, and for you to adapt not only to reflect your particular context and focus on any occasion, but also to make any changes you feel will make the instructions clearer. Of course even in the online context e-learners can ask questions of an accessible tutor and you are advised to make yourself available to respond to queries and offer support as necessary. However, particularly when working asynchronously, the time delay caused by confusion over what to do can be considerable and e-tutors are advised to pre-prepare the instructions and guidance for different stages of an activity and check for clarity ahead of the e-learners 1 access to the task. The environment Within the classroom, one of the considerations before the lesson is the selection of the best layout of classroom furniture to fit the learning activities planned within the lesson. The same issues are part of the preparation for active learning online. Guidelines for the e-tutor given within the resources often remind you to prepare any particular tools and areas within the online learning platform that will be needed for the activity, for example the whole group or small group forums needed for the task. Management The work of the e-tutor promoting active learning online does not only involve preparation. The e-tutor should expect to have a role throughout the course of an

41

online activity, and new e-tutors are often surprised by how much of this 'online teaching activity1 involves administrative or management tasks, ongoing elements of the 'instructional management' element of teaching presence online (Garrison and Anderson 2003, 77). As mentioned above, the management of the ongoing active learning process may involve letting the e-learners know what they have to do, providing resources, answering questions and clarifying instructions as the e-learners embark on any stage of the overall learning task. Where deadlines are important, or groups need to be 'kept together1 so that all are ready for collaboration at a particular point, then reminders will need to be sent to e-learners, along with any further instructions for later stages in the activity. Support and interaction In the classroom you would monitor group work and check that all learners are coping with the work and groups are keeping on track. Within the online environment you may find that you are both less, and more, involved in monitoring learner activity. It is true that the distance of space and time means e-learners are more independent, but you will still be involved in facilitation and participation in group discussion. In fact, you may find that you have deeper and more direct interactions with individual learners, their reflections and thoughts, than is common in the classroom. Closure The Guidelines for the e-tutor within the activities include suggestions for 'drawing this stage of the activity to a close1. This may involve summarizing ideas from discussion or other tasks, collating points made or commenting on work completed. It might mean initiating learner-led closure to the activity, inviting the e-learners to share their conclusions with each other or to read and respond to the work of other groups. Closing an activity and reinforcing the key learning outcomes is just as important online as face to face. Done well, this should model and encourage reflective learning for learners and tutors alike.

Notes

42

1 The Virtual Workspace: www.virtual-workspace.com/index.htm 2 leUs was the name given to a European Socrates/Minerva-funded project, where the approach was used, in part, to increase intercultural awareness across European Schools. See: http://ieus.cti. gr/defaultJeUS.asp 3 Pilgrims English Language Courses: www.pilgrims.co.uk/

Part Two Resources for Promoting Active Learning Online

1

Resources for building confidence for online learning

Building confidence for online learning First steps in using the tools p46

Getting to know the other members of your online group

Online socialization p53

p. 54

RBC1 Finding your way around ... actively!

RBC3 Where do you come from?

RBC6 Time for tea? ~~^

p. 46

p. 54

RBC2 Where do I go next?

RBC4 Is there anyone in my group who ...?

Ideas at play

p. 50

p. 57

RBC8

RBC5 True or false?

Your time to shine ••• anonymously T~^

RBC7

p. 60

44

p

67

The resources in this section will help the e-tutor to build learner confidence in the online environment, an important first step towards active learning online. Some learners may be relatively new to email, conferencing and chat as a means of communicating with others; they may feel computer communication is depersonalized, and may worry about the lack of eye contact, facial expression and tone of voice which form an essential part of our face-to-face interaction with others. Therefore areas of learner confidence addressed within this section include tasks to encourage confidence to communicate through the computer interface and to motivate learners to contribute ideas online. Active learning online means working together on meaningful tasks in a context where the anonymity of online courses must be overcome in order to establish effective group dynamics for learning. The resources in this section suggest activities that address the need to build the trust often required to work with others in the learning community. These resources encourage the learner to undertake activities that may or not be related to the course content but which provide for an evolving process where activities build on one another and promote cooperation as a means of developing skills and confidence to challenge, develop and explore differing viewpoints in online discussion.

See also: RPUOL1 Online learning - same or different? RPUOL2 Learner choice - online or face to face?

45

•iy£U»U

RBC1

Finding your way around ... actively!

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

familiarize themselves with the online learning platform supporting their course;

•

gain experience and confidence in using the different tools to support their online learning; and

•

I

start using the environment to communicate with others in their group.

Rationale It is an accepted maxim that practice makes perfect and that people learn skills by carrying out

the skills, not just by reading about them. The same is true of e-learners when using an online learning platform for the first time. The importance of providing support and help to enable learners to engage in active exploration of the online learning platform, and to practise the actual use of the communication tools and other parts of the environment cannot be overemphasized. In an e-learning course, students' access to the learning and participation in course activities is dependent on their use of the platform through which the course is delivered. Even when new e-learners have sound general IT skills they will still need to get to know the online learning platform itself, and this is all the more true of adult learners returning to study: Navigating and operating within the unfamiliar environment of a virtual learning environment can present challenges to any learners unless they are properly prepared; it is important that students' first encounter with the new learning environment is supportive.. (Bennett 2004) This activity illustrates how simple introductory tasks can engage new e-learners in active use of the online learning platform right at the start of the course, integrating confidence with the technical skills needed for their learning with initial steps in communicating with others on their course. This activity has been used successfully on a range of courses using the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull. Thus the sample introductory tasks included under Dependent Resources as illustrations of the sort of activities which might be used are written as for that online learning platform and should be adapted for the learning environment you use.

4

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Getting to know the online learning platform

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m prepare and post introductory tasks which will allow your

Gaining the confidence

e-learners to get to know the various tools and facilities

to use the online learning

^

, .f platform

, , ^, .

, .

.

.

.

.,

.

theyy need for their course and to start using 3 them to communicate with others;

Interaction jifsf Context At the start of an e-learning course With learners new to

• decide on the timeframe for this introductory stage anc inthis inform e-learners (SMP1); an m

P re P are an d post any introductory messages mentioned in the introductory tasks (e.g. messages in the discussion forum, own homepage, etc.).

learning online^ Adult returners to learning

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: • access and read your instructions about the introductory tasks (SMP1); and •

work their way through the tasks, following the instructions to engage actively in communicating with you and with other e-learners and in creating their own homepage

You should: « be available to provide support and answer any queries; •

respond to individual messages coming from e-learners in response to the introductory tasks and facilitate the discussion in the group forum;

•

ensure you have an overview of which e-learners are engaging actively and which are not; and m be prepared to contact any learners who are not accessing the environment by phone, letter, email, etc.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should « remind the e-learners of the date by which they should complete these introductory tasks; • summarize points arising in the discussion forum; and m signpost the e-learners to their next course activity.

47

Sample message postings SMH The best way to find your way around a new the online learning platform is to use it! The fact that you are reading this paragraph means that you have already started to get to grips with using the environment and you will find that the more you use the different tools the easier it will become. The ntroductory tasks have been designed to take you through each area of the online learning platform, giving you a chance to: m try using the different tools within the online learning platform; if gain confidence in moving around the online learning platform; and 11 start using the environment to communicate with others. You should work your way through the introductory tasks over the coming week. Try to complete this work by [date]. Your e-tutor will check that you have had a go at sending the various messages mentioned in the introductory tasks, and will be online to help by answering any questions you may have or any problems you may face. As everyone faces similar challenges, a discussion forum will be set up for you to discuss these with others in the group. •Your task Work through the introductory tasks. As you work through these introductory tasks you should: • read and reply to the message from your tutor in the Mailbox1 area; « read the homepages of your tutor and one/more students on this course and ... send them each a message commenting or asking them about what you have read; and • complete your own homepage, telling people a bit about your background, job, interests, where you are, and any other information about yourself you choose to share with the group.

Dependent resources Sample introductory tasks: as mentioned above, these are written as for use of the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull and will need adapting for other online learning platforms.

48

1 Your mailbox is for one-to-one audio or text messages and file attachments that you send to and receive from the other participants in this group. n Read the general information about the mailbox and the links you can access for further information. n Read the mailbox message called Hello from your course leader. Send your course leader a reply to let them know you have logged on successfully. 2 The homepages are there to provide you with information from your facilitator/ coordinator and access to information about the other participants in your group. n Read the general information about the homepage feature in your online learning platform and the different ways of navigating around and using the pages.

n Read and listen to the homepage entries of the tutors where you are studying and the other participants in your group. 3 The Who's online?2 feature tells you who else is currently logged on in the online learning platform. n Go to the Who's online? feature to see who else is currently working in the onlin learning platform. n Go to the homepages and read the homepage of someone who is currently online n Go to your mailbox and send a message to them to introduce yourself. 4 Your own personal homepage gives you the chance to share details about yourself with the other people on your course, and attach a photo. You can edit your homepage whenever you want to provide the most up to date details about yourself to your group. D Go to the homepage area. n Read the general information about the homepage area n Go to your personal homepage entry and tell us something about yourself and why you joined this course. 5 The forum area allows for online asynchronous interaction between the participants in a group. A forum may be open to all participants or accessible only to a particular subgroup. n Read the general information about the forum area. n Go to the forum area. n Read any messages you have access to in the forum area. n Either: contribute to the discussion immediately. n Or: return later to contribute your views and ideas

Activity variations/extensions The activity as written suggests that the e-tutor should 'summarize points arising in the discussion forum1. An alternative to this would be for the tutor to ask one of the e-learners to do the summarizing. The e-tutor could select the most confident e-learner for this role, thus making the most of their willingness to contribute in a way that avoids the student dominating the discussion. Alternatively, the role could be circulated around the group, for example by first allocating the task to the person whose first name is nearest the start of the alphabet and then the next for the next activity and so on.

For more information ... The original task is based on the use of the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull. Information about this online learning platform can be obtained from: www.hull.ac.uk/ elearning/merlin/

Notes

49

1 The mailbox is the email facility within the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull. 2 Who's online? is a tool within the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull that learners can use to find out who else is online at the same time as they are.

•?QMgRffigQI1]^y9yQ9Q3SnQ|

RBC2

Where do I go next?

activitycontrobuted

Learning outcomes 'hrough completion of this activity your e-learners should: i improve their ability to use a mobile phone as a means of communication especially in a second language context; i develop the skills needed to write, send, read and understand text messages; and i gain confidence and skill in following written and spoken directions and in asking for directions.

Rationale "his activity takes a slightly different slant on 'online learning1 by exploiting opportunities for vorking with text message/email through the mobile phone to develop and consolidate the ikills and confidence in this form of communication. "he activity was designed to meet the needs of immigrants who have their own mobile phone >ut who need to develop their ability to use the phone, and in particular text messaging, as a neans of communication. Once the preparation has been done in the classroom, participants ire actively involved in receiving instructions by text message, following the directions to move iround the city (or other area chosen for the activity), and answering questions about the .equence of locations until they arrive at an end point where they meet the e-tutor and celebrate heir success. The level of difficulty and the quantity of instructions ares to be determined by he e-tutor depending on each participant's ability and the phrases/instructions/questions are horoughly practised during the preparation stage, which forms a crucial step in the complete ictivity.

50

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Cellphones

Preparation for the activity - whole-group learning face to face

Mobile phones

To prepare for the activity you should:

Text* messaging

» arrange activities in the classroom to focus on the use of the

Improving language skills

mobile phone to send and receive text messages; and n find out the current level of mobile phone use and skill within the group, and the extent to which participants are able to use text messaging in the target language; n establish that all participants know how to send and receive text messages on their own mobile phones - since participants may all own different cell phones each set of instructions must first be checked individually; n practise sending and receiving text messages in the classroom to develop participants' confidence;

Interaction Individual/pairs Synchronous Context New immigrants or other foreign language speakers Mobile phones Blended learning

•

carry out any language development work needed for the activity: review and practise phrases and expressions needed to give and receive directions and instructions; and

•

check how well participants know their way around the town or area where the practical activity will take place: n a suggested activity as an introduction to intercultural knowledge of the area is to make a 'mental map' (Pauldrach 1992, 6) whereby the participants fill out an empty outline map of the area with items (places, things, people, occurrences, dates, etc.) that relate them to the area; n this can be followed by looking at authentic picture material (cut-outs from magazines) of people, places, landscapes, buildings, traditions, etc. and a city map of the area where the practical activity will take place; and n practise for the final 'real' treasure hunt by text message, by a simple review of instructions for a hypothetical treasure hunt.

4rf

You will also need to ensure that the following are available on the day of the practical activity: a map of the area where the practical activity will take place, a vocabulary list of useful specific terms and phrases that have been discussed in class, and a few activated mobile phones. You should also identify a cafe that could be used as an end point, and which the participants would otherwise, perhaps out of'insecurity', not go to themselves. To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: « bring their mobile phone to the face-to-face lesson; and m take part in the preparatory activities you present in class.

51

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity You should: •

arrange for someone to meet the participants at a central point that is familiar to all, and which will be the starting point of the hunt;

M provide each participant (or pair of participants where individuals may feel they need to work in pairs) with a mobile phone, a copy of the vocabulary list and a city map; « send the participants one of the text messages that have been practised in the classroom (SMP1) as soon as you receive the first text message from a participant to indicate that they are ready to start the activity - the message should send them to the next place and ask a question about that place; m guide the participants to the target by sending them the sequence of directions and questions that will lead them through the steps of the treasure hunt (examples given in SMP2-5); •

respond to the replies received from the participants and any questions they ask; and

« take action to help any participants who are not in regular contact through the activity to help them with any difficulty they may experience and ensure they do not get lost. Youre-learners should: •

meet at the agreed central point and at the time agreed;

« send a text message to you to indicate that they are ready to start the activity; and « follow the directions received by text message, moving to the places indicated, and sending answers to the questions asked.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should « meet the participants at the cafe you chose to be used as an end point; and » sit with the participants on their arrival and celebrate their success in following the instructions, learning about the city and arriving at the final destination point.

Sample message postings SMP1 Go to [insert name of place]. What is the name of the bakery there?

SMP2 Go to [insert name of place]! What can I buy at that shop?

SMP3 Follow [name of street] to the [direction] until you arrive at [interesting place]. Send what is written on it to the tutor.

SMP4 How many garden gnomes can you find in [street/house number]?

5

SMP5 (Depending on the mobile phones in use.) Send a picture of the [insert name of place] to the tutor.

Activity variations/extensions A variant of the above would be to split learners into small groups/pairs: one half of the learners start 15-30 minutes before the others and guide them through the city by text message.

Note SMS stands for 'short message service1 and is the term commonly used for mobile phone text messages.

5

ciji|ijc«f«i:j£[«wa|:i*o|:id:i^

kCTn;€*]TlWi3ci;t*in Where do you come from? I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « start to get to know the other people on their e-learning course; « communicate with individuals on the course and find out more about the contexts where they live and work; and » establish their own identity as a member of the e-learning group and tell others on the course about themselves and their context.

Rationale This is an activity typically for use at the start of an online course where participants come from different locations around the world, but also works well when used with learners who are all in the same country. It gives each participant the opportunity to share information about their country, town, institution, sports club, etc. with their online colleagues and helps learners build a sense of group identity as they engage actively with information about the contexts where others are studying. Those new to the use of the Internet consolidate skills and build confidence as they explore a range of websites and gain practice in mailing others within the online environment. People new to online learning often prefer to mail individuals before building the confidence to post views within a conference area. In this activity they are given a specific task to complete and a specific reason to contact each of the other individuals within the group. The personal nature of the task can lead to genuine social interaction.

54

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Getting to know you Building the online.,

community

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you shoul *

decide how large groups should be for the activity;

* establish which parts of the learning environment will Interaction

be used for the e-learners to post the websites about

Individual

tne j r own context,

~ . . Context Start of an online course Distance learning, especially when participants are based in di fferen t countries

and where they will post questions

for access by 7 other learners; if the online learning 3 platform allows it, ideally learners will add websites an

d questions to their course homepage;

m identify the time-structure for the activity and the deadlines learners will need to meet; and m prepare and send an activity opening posting to the individual groups (SMP1).

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should:0 •

choose a website that provides information about where they live and work; and

•

post the website following the instructions given by the tutor.

Vbty should: » keep an eye on the group forum chosen for the posting of websites; and « send an encouraging message to prompt any e-learners who are in danger of not meeting the deadline for this stage of the activity.

Stage 2 - whole-group learning

During this stage of the activity You should:*s^ » bring the learners together in one group forum; and •

open the discussion with an appropriate posting explaining the task for this stage of the activity (SMP2).

Your e-learners should: m look at the different web pages posted by the members of the group; « send messages to individual e-learners, asking questions or making comments in relation to the sites posted; and «

reply to any questions/comments they themselves receive.

55

Sample message postings SMP1 This activity provides you with an opportunity to find out about the contexts where your online colleagues live and work and to share information with them about your own home town, country or workplace. You should choose a website which you think would be interesting to the other members of the group and which tells them something about where you live or work. You should aim to post your chosen website to the group forum by [date], The next stage of the activity will start on [date].

SMP2 Hi everyone. You have each now posted a website about where you live or work. Now it's your chance to visit the websites posted by the other members of the group and find out more about the people you are going to be working with on this course. Your task in this stage is to go and have a look at the different web pages and send messages to some of the people in the group asking questions or making comments about something in the site. Have fun! ... Meantime, I'm off to send a message to one of you who lives in a place I once visited on holiday ... I'd really like to know whether that nice little restaurant I used to visit is still in business! © Oh, by the way if you receive a comment or question about your website, you should, of course, reply! ©

Activity variations/extensions One variation would be for learners to accompany the website with a challenge of two questions that can be answered from the site. The challenge may be completed either as a whole group or in groups of four. In the latter case the activity may then ask for the information found to be fed into a larger group forum. In the event of the activity being completed as a large group it is often better to have replies going to the individuals who set the challenge. In this case, it is also best to insist on 'open questions' that have more than one possible answer, and which might involve giving an opinion or noting similarities with other learners' own contexts. This is to avoid each individual receiving 20 similar answers! For a more tutor-led variation, once learners have written their homepages and posted relevant websites, the e-tutor may use a 'find someone who' follow-on activity similar to RBC4, Is there anyone in my group who ...?

56

GETTING TO KNOW THE OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR ONLINE GROUP Is there anyone in my group who ... ? RBC4 I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « form a mental picture of their online group and identify things they would like to know about the people they will be working with; •

start to communicate with their online colleagues; and

•

start to provide information about themselves to the other members of the online group.

I Rationale It is important to spend time at the beginning of the course developing group relationships. The success of the cohort depends on the ability of its members to form a cohesive, collaborative group and time spent at the beginning laying the foundation for the group will pay dividends over its life. Initial activities need to focus on building collegial and interpersonal relations as well as model expectations for how the cohort will function. This activity provides the e-learners with an opportunity to actively find out information about their online colleagues while at the same time encouraging them to be as open as possible in the information they give about themselves. The need to create a sense of self in the group is labelled 'self-lodging' by Deszin (1969) who says that if valuable portions of 'self are not lodged, recognized and reciprocated, a dissatisfaction concerning the encounter is likely to be sensed. If self-lodging does not take place successfully, the person may fail to contribute fully to the group. This supports the paradoxical hypothesis that a group cannot come together until each member has established her or his own separate individuality.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Getting to know you

To prepare for the activity you should:

Group formation

*

identify the timescale for the activity and the deadlines for each of its stages.

Interaction Individual and pairs

Context Start of the course Distance learning Learners new to online learning

57

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity You should: send your e-learners the instructions for the first stage of the activity (SMP1) and activity worksheet (DR1) as soon as the online course starts, or during the induction phase. Youre-learners should: think of things they would like to know about the other members of the online group; enter their ideas into the worksheet for the activity (DR1); and complete this by the deadline given.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: remind your e-learners of the deadline for completing their worksheets; and send instructions for the next stage of the activity.

Stage two - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: use the email tool in the learning environment to send messages to their online colleagues to find the answers to their questions; attempt to find at least one name to fit with each of the ideas in their worksheet; and send their worksheet to you as soon as it is complete.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: send the winner their 'prize' (DR2) - you should choose a 'prize' appropriate to your e-learning group. With some groups you might promise a bottle of champagne (virtual of course!), but this will not be appropriate for all groups.

Sample message postings SMP1 Hello ... my name is [insert e-tutor name here] ... and I am your tutor on the online course .... You will be working with in a group of online colleagues, all/many of whom may never have met before and may well never meet face to face. This activity provides you with an opportunity to actively find out information about your online colleagues while at the same time encouraging you to be as open as possible in the information you give about yourself. Before the start of the course on [date] you should aim to complete the attached worksheet.

58

Try to imagine your online group. Think of things you would like to know about your future online colleagues. Perhaps you would like to find someone who plays the same sport as you or who has similar work/school experience?

Open the worksheet attached to this message (DR1) and put your ideas in the lefthand column of the chart. Make sure you complete your list of ideas by [date].

SMP2 A few days ago I sent you a worksheet to complete. You should now attempt to see if you can complete the right-hand column! Use the questions you came up with in Stage one (DR1) and the email facility in the online learning platform to send a message to your online colleagues, asking questions that will help you to find the information you are looking for. Perhaps you want to ask some people whether they play table tennis, or ask others whether they have ever visited your country on holiday. See if you can find at least one name for each of the ideas you have in the left-hand column and then send the completed worksheet to your e-tutor. You will also receive questions from your online colleagues - you should of course send a reply to these! Try to be as open as possible in the information you give about yourself, so that your online colleagues can get to know you. The first one to complete their worksheet will receive a prize [insert details of a prize]!

Dependent resources !»

DR1 Try to imagine your online group. Think of things you would like to know about your future online colleagues. Perhaps you would like to find someone who does the same sport as you or who has similar work/school experience? Try to think of six examples, and write your ideas in the left hand column of the chart below: Is there anyone in my group who ... ?

DR2

59

GETTING TO KNOW THE OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR ONLINE GROUP RBC5

True or false?

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « make use of both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools to get to know their online colleagues; « make decisions about the personal information that they do and do not want to communicate to their online colleagues; and « exercise sensitivity in choosing which personal information about another learner it is appropriate to share with the wider online group.

I Rationale For e-learners to work effectively together online it is important that they get to know each other and start to feel comfortable with each other. This activity provides the e-learners with a reason for finding out about each other and allows them to build confidence in communication online while working in pairs rather than having to communicate in a whole group from the start. The activity provides new e-learners with experience of using both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools to get to know each other and the inclusion of both true and false information gives a reason for this communication. This activity has been used successfully as an ice-breaker on a number of online courses where groups of e-learners are coming together for the first time.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Getting to know you

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: « put the e-learners into pairs;

Interaction Pairs

•

Synchronous/ asynchronous

m prepare and send an activity opening posting to the

identify the time structure for the activity and the deadlines e-learners will need to meet; and individual e-learners (SMP1).

Context Start of the course Distance learning Learners new to online learning

60

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

send five questions to their partners;

•

read the questions sent to them by their partners and choose three questions they would like to answer; and

B answer two of these questions truthfully, and give false information for one of the questions. They should not tell their partner which response contains the false information.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this first stage of the activity; and ii send an activity posting to individual students giving them instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - pair work learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners shou Id: • arrange a time to meet their partner online (using synchronous chat or audio - whateve is available on the course) and try to find out more about their partner in order to find out which of their partner's responses is false and which are true

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You shou Id: •

remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this first stage of the activity;

•

draw their attention to the summary to be written about their partner; and

i send a message to the whole group forum to form the starting point of the discussio where e-learners will post their summaries. Voi//'e-/earners should: m prepare a summary of everything they have found out about their partner; and 11 post this summary to the whole group forum.

Sample message postings SMP1 You will be working in pairs for this activity and your partner is [insert name of partner]. The purpose of this activity is for you to find out about each other and share this information with the group. You should prepare five questions you would like to put to your partner. These questions may cover a range of subjects but you should be sensitive in your choice. Your partner will also be preparing five questions. When you receive these questions you should choose three questions to respond to. You should answer two of these

61

questions truthfully; however, for one of the responses you will give false information. You should aim to send your response back (i.e. two questions correctly answered and one question with false information) to your partner by [date]. You should not tell your partner which response contains the false information. The next stage of this activity will be explained in a posting sent to you on [date].

SMP2 SMP2 You should have by now sent through questions to your partner and responded to the questions sent through to you. You should have all provided the answers to three questions, one of which contains false information. The next stage of this activity requires you to find out which of your partner's responses is false and which are true. You should arrange a time to meet your partner online (using synchronous chat or audio, whatever is available on the course) and 3see if you can find out more about him/her. At the end of your chat you should write a summary of everything you have found out about your partner and post it to the whole group forum in response to my opening message, True or false.

Activity variations/extensions There are many ways in which this activity could be varied or extended. When replying to the questions received from their partner, e-learners could be encouraged to swap photos or to provide links to any homepages of their own or about the place where they live or work. The information gleaned from the activity need not be made public; pairs could continue to work solely between themselves. Each e-learner could be asked to feed back in the form of a draft biography for their partner, which would clarify whether they have understood information correctly.

62

ONLINE SOCIALIZATION RBC6

Time for tea?

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « get to know the other members of their e-learning course better; « engage with informal social interaction with their online colleagues; and •

I

feel more confident in the course-related communication.

Rationale

A distinction has been made between different forms of interaction involved in learning: The first type of interaction is interaction between the learner and the content or subject of study. This is where learners 'talk to themselves' about the information and ideas they encounter in a book, television program, lecture or elsewhere ... The second type of interaction is interaction between the learner and the expert who prepared the subject material, or some other expert acting as instructor... The third form of interaction is learner-learner interaction, between one learner and other learners, alone or in group settings, with or without the presence of an instructor. Through interaction with their peers students consolidate their ideas, test hypotheses, and confirm opinions and attitudes. (Moore 1989) This activity focuses on the important learner to learner interaction that takes place at the informal, social level but within the online context; this too does not just happen. The e-tutor/facilitator often has to be prepared to invest significant time and energy, particularly in the early stages of the course, to encourage social interaction. It is sometimes assumed that it is sufficient to provide the means of communication and that, because learner-learner interaction is a 'good thing' then learners will automatically take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with each other. Within online learning this is seldom the case. Meaningful online collaboration will not just happen 'because it is a good thing1; for students to see the purpose of online discussion and take the trouble to participate, it must be built into the overall course design from the start (Bennett 2004). As Fairhurst (2003) has pointed out, 'Online learning activities must be embedded effectively and students made to engage and participate, if necessary by making participation compulsory! This activity has been used successfully on a range of courses, taking different approaches for different groups.

63

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Online socialization

To prepare for the activity you should:

Informal interaction

m Set up a whole group forum to be used for social activity, and

Group formation

inteac Group interaction Synchronous/ asynchronous Context Distance learning _QThroughout an °n /ne course

gjv e it a name that is appropriate for use with your group of elearners - suggested names are: coffee bar, tea house, student

tavern'the Pub>the bor>the loun^'the social area*

m

Prepare and send an appropriate opening posting (SMP1). Note that postings should be: n non-threatening; n such that all students will be able to respond; and n informal/chatty in style. identify appropriate timescales for the activity, and ensure that you have adequate/regular time during the induction week to monitor and facilitate the discussion. (The duration and frequency of logons should be adjusted to match volume of discussion but twice daily is recommended during the induction period, with the e-tutor spending about an hour each time monitoring.)

Stage one - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity You should: •

send a number of initial messages to get the discussion going; these are likely to include: a a message to welcome the e-learners to the group (SMP1); n messages initiating discussion on issues likely to be of interest to the e-learners within the group; and n messages responding to contributions made by e-learners, to encourage others to join in;

•

'tidy up' the discussion area from time to time* - you may need to move some messages to another topic thread, draw some of the topics to a close, and to start up discussion of other issues.

Your e-learners should: « join in the discussion initiated by the e-tutor and reply to responses from other e-learners; •

initiate new topics of discussion; and

• ask questions when clarification is needed. The activity within the social discussion area can continue throughout the duration of the e-learning course.

Sample message postings SMP1 Welcome to the [insert name of area].

0

Hello, my name is [e-tutor/facilitator name] and I am your tutor/facilitator for this course. Welcome to the [insert name of area].

The purpose of the [insert name of area] is to provide a forum in which we can get to know each other, share experiences that may or may not be related to [insert the subject area of course] and generally get away from the more focused academic discussion that takes place during the modules. As with any new course there is always a shyness and slight reluctance to make the first move to introduce ourselves so over the coming few days I will be posting a few messages to get us started ... then it is over to you ... SMP2 Coffee or tea? Hi everyone. It's mid-morning here and I have just popped in during my break between meetings. Glad to join you here, enjoying a nice cappuccino. What would you like to drink? SMP3 As you read this message, you are of course sitting in front of your computer. Are you at home or in your office? Are you rushing to get to the next meeting, your next class, or are you relaxing with a cup of coffee ... and if you had the choice What would you rather be doing ... ? Me ... right now I would rather be on my bike and off on a long two-hour cycle ride :) ... How about you? SMP4 Have a good weekend.... Start this thread off at the beginning of the course and let it continue throughout the course, with the e-tutor posting something on a Friday and students contributing their own plans. SMP5 Learning online Before course starts: It is going to take a few more days before we have all made it online but I thought it might be interesting to share a few thoughts/views before the start of the course proper [insert start date here]. Out of curiosity ... has anyone ever followed a course online as a learner before? Has anyone ever taught online before? Follow-up message: For those of you who have already learned online, what were the positives/challenges? If you are new to learning - what are your expectations of this course? What do you see as the positives/challenges?

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Activity variations/extensions An obvious variation to this activity is to have the cafe area for students only. In this case, tutor input is restricted really to the opening message, sent to indicate the purpose of the discussion area. In this message it is important that the e-tutor should promise to edit him/herself out and ensure that students are aware that it is a confidential students-only area where they can talk privately without tutors reading what they say, rather like going for a coffee after class. (For a sample message, see DR1.) This works best for mature or adult learners rather than for younger learners for whom there may be a legal responsibility to monitor the conversations online.

Dependent resources DR1 Hi everyone. This will probably be the only message you will ever see from a member of staff in here because the student tavern is what its name suggests... a student-only area, intended to be a bit like the college bar or coffee bar, somewhere to hang out with friends and 'meet1 the other students on the programme, wherever they are studying across the six colleges and the university involved with this programme. You will also see that you have specific discussion areas for your year groups. This was something students requested a couple of years ago, and so it has been in place ever since. Do use these areas to talk to students taking the programme in other institutions. We encourage you to get to know each other and swop experiences ... experiences at work and on the course. These are social places, but please remember too that they ore still in the context of a programme of study and that, as in any online forum, it's important to take care that messages you send won't upset or offend the other people on the course. First years will soon be exploring the rules of 'Netiquette1, and we ask that second and third years too remember those rules and act according to them. Thanks. Have a great year, and enjoy this student tavern. Shirley

For more information ... E-Moderating: the key to teaching and learning online, by Gilly Salmon (2000), pp. 28-30.

Note

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The commonly used term is 'housekeeping'.

ONLINE SOCIALIZATION RBC7

Ideas at play

Activity contributed by Hilary Thomas

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should: m develop the confidence to be spontaneous in their online responses; m become familiar with their online colleagues and develop closer working relationships with them; and « learn to be accepting of any 'faux pas' on the part of their online colleagues - and to recognize where these are a product of the limit of textual communication.

I Rationale In online learning thinking and expression can readily become analytical, sequential and reflective, reinforced by the built-in message threading and asynchronicity of many online learning platforms. This, coupled with the tendency to reduce activity to a focus on the 'tasks' of a learning situation, can effectively squeeze out what occurs more effortlessly in the classroom. Aspects such as spontaneity, humour and playing with ideas - which can serve to ease inhibition and thereby remove some of the blocks to creativity - need more active support. This workshop is intended to provide a space to support such activity. The time that e-learners spend together in such activity is intended to promote relaxed and easy working relationships, from which they profit throughout their course.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Encouraging spontaneous communication online

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: •

Developing working relationships

intend there to be flexibility depending on activity generated, be sure to communicate this with your

Encouraging humour online

e-learners and follow through consistently; •

Interaction Large group - size around 10-15

decide on the timescale for each workshop activity; if you

identify how open ended you intend the activities to be; and whether you wish the e-learners to make random or sequential responses;

•

prepare the stimuli and instructions for the activity (decide

Context

if you will invite the e-learners to provide stimuli in due

Start/mid-way/end of an online course

course); and

Whenever there is a need to 'lighten the touch' Creative writing and other courses

•

decide whether you will join in the workshop alongside your e-learners.

To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: « choose a colour that will be 'their' colour and characterize their input/responses for the duration of the activities in the workshop; and « read instructions about the functioning of the group forum and try it out to make sure they know how to read and post responses within in the workshop.

Stage one - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « read the instructions and 'stimulus' for the workshop activity; and s make a response to the stimulus - either an individual response to the stimulus or a response to the previous respondent. Each e-learner's response becomes a stimulus at the next 'level', responses can therefore have the potential to generate a cascade of ideas and responses; e-learners should therefore explore and respond in whichever way they choose. You should: « not comment on any responses, but do monitor them as there are insights to be gained « join in as you feel appropriate; and •

look out for anyone having difficulty with the technology.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: us Keep an eye on the flow of the activity so as to decide when to bring it to a close. (Be mindful that it is often a good idea to finish when an activity is on a 'high' rather than

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wait for responses to dwindle to a halt.)

« Decide whether to post a summary response to the activity as a whole, according to the responses generated and the intention of the activity.

Sample message postings SMP1 Instructions - The purpose of this activity is to write a story following on from the first sentence, which is given as the stimulus to this activity. The first person to respond adds a sentence to continue from the stimulus sentence. The second person adds a sentence to continue from the first person. The third person adds a sentence to continue from the second person. And so on. As well as writing a story on this 'level', feel free to continue the story in different directions by clicking not on the stimulus when you prepare your response, but on other people's names (this will take you to the next level and beyond) - in turn their sentence becomes a stimulus sentence too! The stimulus - A creative writing exercise - 'What if ... ?' (DR1)

Dependent resources DR1 This is an opportunity to explore the 'What if?'s. What if you woke up tomorrow morning and found there was a power cut?

OR What if you got out of the swimming pool and found that your clothes had disappeared? Starting with this page first, fill out the post-its in turn by sending a response to this message and tell what would happen next if this did happen ... and then what would happen if that next event happened. ... The second person responds to the first person and so on. Do not be constrained, let your imagination run wild! And then, develop the other threads, so that each 'What if?1 develops its own parallel universe ...

Activity variations/extensions The workshop has the capacity to be used for either sequential or individual responses and offers a real opportunity to shift away from the reflective slant that generally pervades online learning, to give a bit of zest and to free things up. It is possible via this workshop approach to link to specific issues and needs in creative writing that are manifesting in a group. For example, this approach can be used to free up the imagination for plot lines (a sequential approach), narrative (sequential or individual approach), 'showing not telling' (individual approach) and so on.

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The online workshop can enable participants to explore ideas in a free and creative way and the e-tutor may decide to use such a workshop as a lead-in to a writing activity in which the e-learners have the opportunity to develop their own extended piece of writing, building on

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the ideas that have been generated by the online group.

I^^Dl^^&^^^^QuDSI^IHIHilll RBC8

Your time to shine ... anonymously

Activity contributed by Carol Fereday

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to « explore and develop their own ideas; •

participate actively in an anonymous online brainstorm; and

m develop their confidence in expressing their views to the other members of their virtual community.

•

Rationale Learners coming online for the first time often lack confidence in their ability to work within the new medium. This induction activity is designed to encourage learners to become familiar with the communication tools within their online learning platform. The fact that participants have the opportunity to express their personal views anonymously helps new e-learners to overcome the fear of making a fool of themselves and provides the opportunity for trust and confidence to grow within the virtual community. When working online, contributions to an asynchronous community become 'frozen speech1: The writing itself is ephemeral, but it can be logged and, therefore, captured as a kind of frozen speech.1 (Case Western Reserve University, Curriculum Support Group, www.case.edu/net/csg/pdf/MOOs.pdf) This activity has been used successfully on courses involving professionals where one of the learning aims is to explore aspects of effective leadership. The basic idea of the activity could be adapted to a wide range of contexts, and with a wide range of different focus for the brainstorm. Where the focus on effective performance within a role is maintained, the anonymity at the heart of this activity is of the utmost importance, especially if the group contains a more dominant individual. If your online learning platform does not provide a tool for anonymous contributions to a forum, it would perhaps be wise to select a different focus.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Building confidence

To prepare for the activity you should:

Reflection Building the online

w. decide on timescale for this induction activity (fixed three weeks); and

community

m

Interaction jdfkljfjsdf

Asycnhronous Context

p re p are tne message you will post to your e-learner group during the second week of activity.

0

p re p are for the activity youre-learners should: ,, .. . . ,. , . m self-review their induction email containing online learning platform information notes or 'getting started1 guide.

At any point during on online course Learners new to online learning and learners with more experience of . . . . online learning

Stage one - whole-group learning Youre-learners should: •

access and read your activity opening message (SMP1) and follow the instructions provided;

•

post their comments;

» revisit the brainstorm on a regular basis and contribute subsequent comments, if desired; and

•

read your message to the whole online community (SMP2) and follow the instructions provided.

Vow should: • monitor the activity but do not facilitate or become involved in the brainstorm itself. Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

provide a closing posting to the whole group, summarizing key issues arising from the activity and thanking them for their contribution.

Sample message postings SMP1 What is it about you that you believe has the most influence on your school? Post a brief comment in this example of a brainstorm that starts with: 'I am an effective headteacher because I ..."

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[Replace these vocational and school-based references with other roles/contexts according to the context of the e-learners on your course.]

SMP2 Great news everyone: we've already had ten powerful contributions posted in our 'shining star' brainstorm. If you've not managed to visit this activity, trust me it's worth going over there now and reading them for yourself. ... And while you're there, why not leave a brief anonymous comment of your own?

For more information ... Campaign for Emotional Literacy, www.antidote.org.uk/html/emotionalliteracy.htm Emotional Intelligence Services, http://ei.haygroup.com/about_ei/

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2

Resources fir promoting

understanding of online learning

Promoting understanding of online learning The nature of online learning

Roles in online learning

Establishing the norms

p. 76

p. 95

p. 105

RPUOL1 Online learning the same or

RPUOL5 Expectations rematch p ~ 9

diffefent?

l

RPUOL7 The need for netiquette p T ^ i

p. 76

RPUOL2 Learner choice online or face to face? p. 79

RPUOL3 What's my style? p. 83

RPUOL4 Doing it online! p. 91

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RPUOL6 Dynamics or dynamite h

p

100

RPUOL8 Our online communityagreeing the house rules p. 114

Learners following an online course face a particular challenge in that the medium is still a relatively new mode of learning and thus, unlike learners taking a course within the traditional classroom context, they do not have a lifetime of online learning to draw upon. They have no previous experience upon which to base their understanding of the challenges that lie ahead, the way the learning and interaction will work and the new roles they will be expected to take on. As a result they can only imagine how online learning will compare with their experience in classroom settings and how they will be able to apply their own individual learning styles to the new context. The resources within this section suggest activities that help the new e-learners to explore the similarities and differences between 'traditional' learning and active learning methods used online, to notice the role of the e-tutor and to consider rules to be applied within the online learning context.

See also: RBC1 Finding your way around ... actively! RLL1 24 hours in a day RLL2 Teamwork online - getting the job done on time

RLL5 Fool's gold or the real thing? RDU1 Just browsing RDU5 A question of culture RDU7 Flaming practice

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[QXI^^j!]|©E^BEQ9B1^^^^3l|^^IIBi RPUOL1 •

Online learning-the same or different?

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

identify key differences and similarities between online and classroom-based learning;

« work in small groups independently of the e-tutor; and « participate actively in a whole-group discussion.

•

Rationale Learners coming online for the first time often lack confidence in their ability to work in the new medium. This activity is designed to encourage learners to consider the differences between online learning and face-to-face learning. It also provides an early opportunity for learners to work in small groups to prepare their ideas before moving into the open forum for discussion. This activity has been used successfully on a range of courses involving e-learners who are new to online learning and who benefit from the chance to share expectations to discover that others may also be in the same situation and to be encouraged by those who have previous experience of e-learning courses.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Getting to know you

To prepare for the activity you should:

Reflection

m decide on the timescale for each stage of the activity;

Learners'experience of learning online

m identify the deadlines your e-learners will need to meet; m put the stuc|ents jnto sma|| groups (three or four) for stage

interction Small group and whole

roch group with a small group forum; *

group Synchronous/ asynchronous Context Learners new to online learning Midway through an online course

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set up a whole-group forum for the whole-group activity in stage two;

m

prepare the messages you will send to your e-learners at fach $tage Qf the activjty . an(j

*

post an activity opening message (SMP1) to the individual groups, to open stage one of the activity.

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

access and read your activity opening message (SMP1) and follow the instructions provided;

•

discuss in their groups and draw up a list of key differences and similarities; and

» post the agreed group list of key differences and similarities to the tutor. You should: •

monitor the activity in the small groups but try not to facilitate or become involved in the discussion.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: « post the agreed group list of key differences and similarities to you. You should: • produce a summary of the key points raised by the learners in their small group work in stage one and invite your e-learners to reflect on the implications of issues raised (SMP2).

Sample message postings SMP1 There are many similarities between learning and teaching in the traditional classroom context and online. There are, however, some very important differences. Many of these differences have to do with the very nature of the medium. We are at a distance from one another; we have not met and may never do so. For the first stage of this activity you will be working in small groups. You are in group [X] and your online colleagues for this first stage are: [insert names here]. In your group you should aim to identify the key differences and similarities between classroom-based learning and online learning. You should aim to post a summary of your ideas to your tutor by [date].

SMP2 For the first stage of this activity you worked in your small groups to consider the similarities and differences between learning and teaching in the traditional classroom context and online. You will find attached a summary of the conclusions reached by the groups. Read those and consider the following questions: How then does the tutor/learner role differ online to the classroom-based context? What does the e-learner have to do to engage fully in the online learning experience? What does the tutor have to do to actively support his/her e-learners and ensure the learning experience is successful and effective?

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Activity variations/extensions Learner responsibility If your e-learners have had some experience of learning online, it would be possible to ask the group to produce the summary at the end of stage one. Background reading If you have the time, it would be possible to provide your e-learners with references and suggestions for background reading before they begin working in small groups.

For more information ... Online Tutoring Skills, by Clive Shepherd, Fastrak Consulting Ltd, 1999. www.fastrakconsulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/tutoring/tutor01 .htm Online Tutoring e-book, by Carol A. Higgison (ed.), The Online Tutoring Skills Project, Institute for Computer Based Learning, Heriot-Watt University, 2000, otis.scotcit.ac.uk/ onlinebook/otisT201.htm

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THE NATURE OF ONLINE LEARNING RPUOL2

Learner choice - online or face to face?

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: * examine the factors that motivated them to choose to learn online; *

compare these with the factors that motivate learners who choose to learn in a classroom; and

« discuss what can be learned from this comparison in terms of strategies for effective learning online.

I Rationale Online learning as a route to flexible, accessible learning is probably the most frequently cited advantage of this new mode of education. The image is one of e-learning removing or reducing the attendance requirement at face-to-face classes and allowing people to access learning in a variety of locations in everyday life - at home, at work, while out shopping or in the local library and other IT centres (DfEE 1998). But is flexibility the main reason people choose to learn online rather than in the classroom? Perhaps other reasons govern their choice. There are likely to be a wide range of reasons within any one online learning group. This activity aims to help e-learners reflect on their own motivation for learning online and to make them aware of the reasons their online colleagues have for choosing to participate in an e-learning course. It helps them to get to know each other better and to think about the ways in which the motivation for e-learning is likely to impact on the ways they interact and work online. This activity has been used successfully on courses providing an introduction to e-learning and to the role of the e-tutor in supporting and facilitating learning online.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor ocus

Preparation for the activity

Getting to know you Motivation for learning online

To prepare for the activity you should:

Learners'experience of learning online

"

Interaction Individual and whole group Synchronous/ asynchronous

* prepare a whole group forum for the large group activity; identify the time structure for the activity and the deadlines the students will need to meet; and •

prepare and send a message to the e-learners opening the .. . , c..n,x activity (SMP1).

Context Midway through an online course Distance learning

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: 1H access the opening message (SMP1); •

follow the instructions to guide their own reflection on their motivations about taking an e-learning course;

« interview friends or colleagues about their experiences taking face-to-face courses; and « consider to what extent the introduction of online learning would enhance or hinder the learning experience of those friends and colleagues. You should: ii be available to address any questions or queries that may arise in the course of the activity.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: •

produce a three-slide PowerPoint presentation (or equivalent) to summarize their findings.

You should: •

remind your e-learners of the deadline set for completion of this stage of the activity and ask them to send their three-slide PowerPoint presentations to the whole-group forum (SMP2).

80a

Stage two - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: • submit their presentation to the whole-group forum; « look at the presentations posted by their online colleagues; « consider how similar/different their experience of learning online is from expectations before participating in an online course; and • participate in the online discussion of findings facilitated by their e-tutor. You should: • initiate and facilitate discussion of issues arising from the small-scale action research and summarized in the e-learners' PowerPoint presentations; and « at the end of the discussion, summarize key points arising in terms of the implications fo strategies that are important in effective learning online.

Sample message postings SMP1 In this activity you will be asked to reflect upon your own motivation and reasons for following this course [insert name of course here] and to explore the motivations and expectations of your friends or colleagues when choosing a particular course of study. This task requires you to undertake small-scale action research with your friends or colleagues during the week beginning [date] and to produce a three-slide PowerPoint presentation (or equivalent) to illustrate your findings. Part one Your own reflections To complete this part of the activity you should ask yourself the following questions in relation to your current learning experiences on this course. 1. Why did you choose to follow this course? 2. Was this course, or a similar one, available to you in a face-to-face format? 3. Would you have preferred to have followed this course in a face-to-face format? If so, why? Part two The views of your friends or colleagues To complete this task you should ask the following questions of a minimum of three friends or colleagues who have recently completed some form of face-to-face learning. 1. Why did you choose to follow this course? 2. Was this course, or a similar one, available to you online? 3. What would the advantages and disadvantages have been of following this course online? Consider to what extent the introduction of online learning would have enhanced or hindered the learning experience of these friends or colleagues. Produce a three-slide PowerPoint presentation (or equivalent) to illustrate your findings in this small-scale action research.

8

SMP2 You have asked yourself and your friends or colleagues a series of questions and have probably drawn up a list of reasons why you and they chose to follow a particular course of study. You have also asked the question whether or not they would have preferred to have followed a particular course of study online. You have produced a PowerPoint presentation (or equivalent) to summarize your findings. Post your presentation to the whole group forum by [date], and look at the presentations posted by your online colleagues. Consider to what extent your views, now that you are an online learner, are the same or different from those of your friends or colleagues who have never learned online. Join in the group discussion of the issues arising from these reflections and the implications for the way to approach being an effective online learner.

Activity variations/extensions For a variation on the strategy of working with e-learner PowerPoint presentations see: RPAAS13 Presenting posters

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THE NATURE OF ONLINE LEARNING RPUOL3

What's my style?

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m consider different models of learning styles and identify features that reflect their own approach to learning; » identify the ways in which their learning style may impact on their approach to online learning and their response to e-learning experiences; and •

identify the sorts of online learning activities that suit them best.

I Rationale There is a long history of theories of learning styles and the ways in which such factors may affect approaches to learning and have implications for how well different individuals respond to different teaching and learning activities. Rather than present one model as the approach that is most relevant for participation in e-learning courses, this activity asks e-learners to consider a range of different models, and to use the 'pictures' these models/paradigms offer as tools to help them reflect on what worked and did not work for them within their own past learning experience and identify aspects of the kinds of learning activity that they tend to prefer. They are invited to explore how these learning preferences might match with the types of learning activity which typically form part of e-learning courses in order to get a sense of what they personally might find easy about such learning and which aspects are likely to prove a challenge. The opportunity for reflection and review once the course is under way both enables learning from comparison of expectations and experience and provides an opportunity for formative learner evaluation of the e-learning course and a chance for learners and tutor to make adjustments where appropriate.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Learning styles and implications for e-learning Interaction Individual

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m identify resources that will provide your e-learners with clear and succinct 'snapshots' of some of the main models of learning styles; and m make decisions about the timescales for each stage of the activity.

Context Sforf and midway through an online course Adult learners

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Stage one - individual learning You should: •

send the instructions for the first stage of the activity to the students (SMP1).

Youre-leamers should: « follow the e-tutor's instructions and access the resources related to learning styles; and « pick out features that relate to their previous learning experience - these may come from one model of learning style or from many, depending on both the context of the course and the learners involved. With some learners it will only be appropriate to use one or two models; others will be able to cope with a wider variety. In either case, the key is not to decide which model 'works best' but to use the models to aid reflection and help e-learners identify their strengths and weaknesses; make notes of the conclusions they reach and keep these to use in the next stage of the activity (DR1).

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « invite the e-learners to contribute at least one note from their individual reflection to the whole group forum by a given date; « ask the e-learners to read the contributions from their online colleagues and to each reply to at least one of the messages sent in; and « send learners the instructions (SMP2) and material (DR2) they will need in the next stage of the activity.

Stage two - individual learning Your e-learners should: •

look at the reflection completed in stage one of the activity (DR1) and read the guidance document learning styles and online learning' (DR2);

•

work individually to compare their reflection about past learning experiences with what is said about learning online and pick out the tasks they are likely to find easiest online; and

« make notes of their thoughts (DR3).

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage of the activity; and » ask the e-learners to keep the records made for future reference later in the course.

Stage three - individual learning Once the course is under way, you should: « send the instructions for the review stage of the activity to the students, asking them to consider how experience relates to expectations (SMP3). Youre-leamers should:

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•

reflect on their experience of the online learning course and note: o two sorts of online learning activities that they find suit their way of working; and D two sorts of online learning activities that they find challenging;

« compare these reflections with the expectations they had earlier in the course as recorded in stage two of the activity; and « note the conclusions arising from this comparison and one question they would like to ask you about their online learning.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage of the activity;

•

invite the e-learners to send you their conclusions and questions; and

m respond to the individual e-learners/draw up and post a summary of the key points arising, as best suits the replies you get from your group.

Sample message postings SMP1 There is a long history of different descriptions of learning styles and opinions differ as to the ways in which they may affect how well different individuals respond to different teaching and learning activities. It has to be said that no one model represents the approach to understanding learning styles, but the different approaches offer us 'pictures' or 'tools' to help us reflect on what works and does not work for us and to think about our past learning experience in order to identify the kinds of learning activity we tend to prefer. In this stage of the activity you are going to explore a variety of resources related to learning styles and to pick out features that relate to your previous learning experience. You may find that you seem to 'fit' with one particular model of learning style or feel that you have things in common with many of them. This does not matter. The key is not to decide which model 'works best' but to use each to help your thinking and help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as a learner. Access the resources and use the worksheet (DR1) to make notes of the conclusions you reach. Keep these notes to use in the next stage of the activity.

SMP2 In the first stage of this activity, you were involved in thinking back to your past learning experience. In this stage you look forward - you are invited to consider how these learning preferences might match with the types of learning activity that typically form part of e-learning courses. This should help you to get a sense of what you personally might find easy about e-learning and which aspects you are likely to find a challenge. What you should do: « look back at the reflection you completed in stage one of the activity (DR1); * read the guidance document 'Learning styles and online learning' (DR2); » work individually to compare your reflection about past learning experiences with what is said about learning online and pick out the tasks you are likely to find easiest online; and « make notes of your thoughts and keep these for use later in the course (DR3).

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SMP3 Hi, do you remember that you were asked to keep a copy of your thoughts about online learning and learning style? You are going to go back to these now, so you need to re-find them. But first, now that the course has been under way for some time, you have a good idea of which aspects of online learning you are enjoying. You also know which aspects you find difficult, perhaps because they do not fit with the ways you like to study, your learning style, or your personal circumstances. You should: • reflect on your experience of the online learning course and note: D two sorts of online learning activities that you find suit your way of working; and n two sorts of online learning activities that you find challenging; » compare these reflections with the expectations you had earlier in the course, as recorded in your notes made during stage two of the activity (DR3); • note one conclusion arising from this comparison and one question you would like to ask me about your online learning; and • send these conclusions and questions to me by [date].

DR1

Dependent resources When I am learning I like ...

I don't like ...

I am good at...

I find ... difficult...

DR2

Learning styles and online learning

^3

Activist learning style and e-learning E-learning activists can: « adapt quickly to the new demands of e-learning, relishing the new challenge; « take the lead in online discussion within a group, initiating new topics; « act on their own, independently of the e-tutor - e-learning activists respond well to the independence that tends to be a feature of e-learning;

« cope with a series of short, self-contained tasks or steps, and may prefer this to a single more extended activity - e-learning activists are able to move quickly through the steps of an e-learning activity and be ready to move on to new things; and « try out their own approach to an e-learning activity and take risks (educational ones!) E-tutors can help e-learning activists by: •

structuring parts of the e-learning design around a series of shorter, self-contained tasks;

« exploiting the opportunities for independent learning that e-learning offers to allow learners to try out their own approach to an e-learning activity; • building opportunities for risk taking and initiative into their e-learning course design «t allowing students to make mistakes and learn from them, while keeping an eye o progress and being available to help when needed; and « providing the flexibility to allow individuals to take the lead within online discussion and move the interaction forward.

Reflector learning style and e-learning E-learning reflectors can: m 'monitor1 online discussions, stand back and provide regular summaries of the points made, weave in the contributions made by others and help to take the discussion forward by providing clear records of what has already been said and by flagging up pertinent points mentioned earlier in the discussion but not pursued; » gather information to inform e-learning activity and online discussion, carrying out web searches and other research; « suggest alternative ways of approaching an e-learning activity; « take advantage of opportunities for cyclical working within e-learning courses, producing and revising drafts of work before the final copy; and » prepare an accurate summary of online activity or discussion to present to a wider online group, making sure all angles or points of view are covered and all views included. E-tutors can help e-learning reflectors by: « including within their e-learning design activities that involve open questions and involve learners in gathering relevant information to inform online discussion and other e-learning activities; •

building in activities for working in pairs and small groups - e-learning reflectors will respond well to this and it makes the most of the communication opportunities offered by the Internet;

« allowing individuals to volunteer for the role of observing or monitoring online discussion; •

providing flexibility within e-learning task design to allow learners to approach activities in a variety of different ways;

« encouraging learners to draw on their own experiences within their collaborative work and online discussion, enabling the exploration of different perspectives in building understanding within the virtual group; and « encouraging learners to reflect on the e-learning processes and on the outcomes of e-learning activities.

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Theorist learning style and e-learning E-learning theorists can: • cope well with the independent and individual aspects of e-learning, working alone effectively on e-learning activities; it work logically step by step through an extended stretch of e-learning activity; • promote thorough and deep exploration of themes in online discussion, asking probing questions and looking for inconsistencies and weaknesses in arguments, grounding the discussion and making sure in 'makes sense1; • explore the vast information store which the Internet represents and work to assimilate disparate facts into consistent theories and ideas; and m summarize information from Internet research and online discussion. E-tutors can help e-learning theorists by: • ensuring that the e-learning design includes opportunities to work alone; • providing e-learning activities that ask students to collect data; « setting topics for online discussion that call for analytical/logical thinking; checking that instructions and presentations of facts are expressed clearly because there is less room for ambiguity in the online context; and tapping into specialist interests and providing opportunities for students to explore and research particular subjects through Internet searches.

Pragmatist learning style and e-learning E-learning pragmatists can: « see the links between ideas and information from online activity and discussion on the « • « •

one hand and how the new ideas will work in practice in real-life contexts; express their opinions openly in online discussion, undaunted by the larger online groups; work methodically through the steps of a particular e-learning activity, and check that all steps are carried out; cope well with working alone on the sort of individual independent activity typical of e-learning, without worrying about feeling isolated from online colleagues; and produce concise reports of online activity and discussion and be concise when writing reports.

E-tutors can help e-learning pragmatists by: • encouraging participants in their e-learning courses to relate the facts learnt and ideas •

discussed online to experiences and activities within their daily lives; indicating the practical relevance of work that, by the very nature of being done online

•

through the computer, may at first seem disconnected from concrete application; setting clear goals within the e-learning course and encouraging students to plan for themselves how they will work to complete such goals while fitting their e-learning

activities around the other responsibilities and pressures of work and family life; • offering opportunities for individuals to contribute to the collaborative learning of the group by producing reports and summaries of the work done and topics discussed; • ensuring a blend of collaborative and individual activity within their e-learning design; and •

8

using problem-based learning within their e-learning design, thus presenting challenges that e-pragmatists will love to meet and find practical strategies to solve. Adapted from material taken from Learn ing Styles (FEDA 1995)

DR3 Online learning activities that I think will

Online learning activities that I think I will

suit me

find challenging

Key things I have learned from the reading and reflection about what e-learning involves and what it will mean for me

Activity variations/extensions The task is designed deliberately to place more emphasis on individual reflection and response to the issue of learning style and e-learning. This is intended to reflect the fact that those new to e-learning often take time to adjust to working collaboratively with others online, especially when dealing with an issue as personal as learning style. On courses involving more experienced e-learners, in blended learning contexts or where virtual groups have already formed the activity could involve a stronger element of collaborative learning. In this case, a variation or extension to the activity could involve small group discussion of ways in which the members within the virtual group might complement each other through their different strengths, and how the different roles required within online learning might enable each individual to make the best contribution to group activity. (See SMP4 below.)

SMP4 So far in this activity you have carried out a lot of personal reflection. You are now invited to share some of your thoughts with other members of the small group that you will be working with on this course and to discuss ways in which your different strengths might complement each other within the online group. You should be able to identify some of the ways in which the different roles required within online learning might enable each individual to make the best contribution to group activity. What you should do « Look at the notes you have made and send a message to the small group forum listing: D one sort of online learning activity that you think is likely to suit you; D one sort of online learning activity that you think you will find challenging; and D one thing you have learned from the reading and reflection about what elearning involves and what it will mean for you; • read the contributions from the other members of your online group and discuss:

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the different strengths you each bring to the group; and the roles that might best suit the individuals within the virtual group and your collaboration online. Aspects of this activity may be appropriate for use in the face-to-face sessions within a blended learning course.

For more information ... Learning Styles - Which One are You?, Campaign for Learning, www.campaign-forlearning.org.uk/aboutyourlearning/whatlearning.htm LSDA booklet entitled 'Should we be using learning styles?' by Frank Coffield ef al. in the What Research Has to Say to Practice series, https://www.lsda.org.uk/cims/files/PDF/1540.pdf

^3

THE NATURE OF ONLINE LEARNING RPUOL4

Doing it online!

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m reflect on their own past learning experience and the relevance that experience holds for learning online; and « build confidence through sharing and working in small groups.

I Rationale Online, as in face-to-face contexts, it is insufficient simply to group e-learners together and hope that they will be able to cooperate effectively as a group: 'Putting students into groups and telling them to cooperate does not guarantee that students will know how to cooperate and interact effectively' (Burford and Cooper). Whether on- or offline, to operate successfully as a group learners need to be helped not only to understand what they are being asked to do, but also to start to feel part of the group and to develop the group skills needed to act as a member of a team. As a first stage, e-learners need to feel comfortable with each other and to be encouraged to introduce themselves and their ideas to the other members of the group. Gilly Salmon has written of the crucial importance of this 'online socialization' stage (Salmon 2000, 25-30) and explains the hope that thereby the group can start to evolve a sense of respect, tolerance and trust and to develop an understanding of the ways in which different people can best contribute to the whole group activity. This activity aims to help e-learners to work and interact effectively in groups by helping them to move through specific stages in that interaction and collaboration.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Reflection on previous learning experiences Learning in groups-face to face and online Interaction Individuals and small ^oups Synchronous/ asynchronous

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m arrange the e-learners into small groups and set up a group

forum for each group to use for their interaction; « identify the time structure for the activity and the •

deadlines e-learners will need to meet; and prepare and send an activity opening posting to send to the individual e-learners. (SMP1).

Context Start of an online course Learners new to online learning

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « respond to your instructions (SMP1) by reflecting and making notes about their experiences and likes and dislikes of group learning; and • send an individual message to you, summarizing their thoughts.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Vow should: » collate these responses to provide one handout reflecting the experiences and thoughts of the whole group; « provide the e-learners with a copy of this handout; and » send the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

read the anonymous responses handout and make individual notes about factors that they feel could hinder or promote effective online learning;

•

discuss their ideas with the other members of their small group, using their small group

•

forum; and prepare a list of factors on which they all agree and prepare a summary of their conclusions and the reasons for their choice.

You should: • make sure the e-learners understand their task and know where they should work in small

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9 rou P s -

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind the small groups of the deadline for completion of this stage of the activity; and •

prepare a summary of the points raised in the buddy-group summaries.

Youre-learners should: m send the summary of their conclusions to the whole group forum by the deadline indicated.

Sample message postings SMP1 Hi everyone, At the start of this activity I would like each of you to think back over learning experiences in the past and make notes about: * m * *

an example of a previous good experience of learning in a group; an example of a bad experience of learning in a group; three things you like about group learning; and three things you do not like about group learning.

Send your notes to me in a message by [date]. I will be collating the ideas into a list that represents the experiences of the whole group but which keeps the information from any individual anonymous. Send this message to me by [date].

SMP2 Thank you for the message you sent me in stage one of this activity. You will see that I have pulled all the individual contributions together into one handout reflecting the experiences and thoughts of the whole group. In this next stage of the activity you will work together with [insert names of group members here]. You should read this anonymous responses handout and identify: a) no more than five factors that you feel could hinder effective online learning; and b) no more than five factors that you feel could promote effective online learning. Send a message to your buddy group forum listing the factors you have chosen. Read the lists sent in by the other members of your buddy group and identify points of agreement and disagreement. Work with your buddies to: * narrow down the choices; « arrive at ten factors on which you are agreed, five that hinder online learning and five that promote online learning; and « summarize the reasons for your choice. Post a summary of your findings to the whole-group forum by [date]. Read the contributions sent in by the other buddy groups.

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For more information ... 'Collaborative Learning Online1 by S. Burford and L Cooper, www.ssn.flinders.edu.au/flexed/ innovations/workgroups.php [accessed 12 July 2005] E-Moderating: the key to teaching and learning online by Gilly Salmon (2000)

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ROLES IN ONLINE LEARNING RPUOL5

Expectations rematch

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m articulate their own personal expectations of the roles and responsibilities of the online tutor; « identify the key roles and responsibilities of the e-tutor; and » recognize their own role as an online learner in relation to the role of the online tutor.

I Rationale [A] critical success factor to creating effective e-learning environments is to include a participative and active online instructor. The instructor is the glue that holds all the other factors. (Hofmann 2003) The role of the online tutor is well documented as being central to the success of online learning and yet learners are not always completely aware of what the online tutor does, particularly in the context where the tutor is the facilitator rather than the leader of the group. For learners who are used to the tutor taking the lead and assuming the direction of their learning this may present a few difficulties and occasionally learners may complain that their tutor is indeed doing nothing. This activity encourages tutors and learners alike to monitor tutor activity over a period of time and to compare perceptions of the tutor role and responsibilities in a group.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Raising awareness of the

To prepare for the activity you should:

role of the online tutor

m

The role of online learners in relation to the role of the online tutor

identify an appropriate period during the course when learners can monitor your activity; and

m s a messa9e to tne learners to explain the purpose of the activity (SMP1)

Interaction Individual Whole group Context At any point within an online course Distance learning Learners new to online learning Problem-solving

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « complete the tutor activity record (DR1). You should: « complete the tutor activity record (DR2).

Stage two - group learning During this stage of the activity You should: » post a message to the open forum with your tutor activity record attached (SMP2). Youre-learners should: » take an active part in the discussion.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

provide a summary of the key issues raised in the discussion and if appropriate the solutions found to any mismatch of expectations.

SMP1

Sample message postings

9

Our roles as learners and tutor are in many ways similar online as they are face to face. But there are some distinct differences, in particular the need for you, the learner,

to be far more independent in your learning and for me, the tutor, to take a more facilitative role rather than a directive one. The tutor role online is not quite as transparent as the role in the classroom context and I hope this activity will help us all understand what is required of the tutor online and as a result gain a better understanding of our respective roles. Over the next two weeks we will all monitor my tutor activity very closely. You will complete the attached form (DR1) that requires you to log what you observe to be my activity and your observations and comments. I will complete a similar document but will attempt to provide a rationale for my activity. I will then post my activity chart at the end of the two-week period in the open forum. You should compare what you have observed with my own activity record. We will then discuss similarities and differences between our perceptions of online tutor activity.

SMP2 We have spent the last two weeks recording tutor activity online and attached is my record of activity with rationale. Compare your completed record with my own. What are the key differences and similarities? Why do you think this is so?

Dependent resources DR1 [To be completed by the learner] Day

Tutor activity

Observations

Example Monday

Tutor sent message to the whole

/ needed this reminder (!)

group reminding us of deadline

... had forgotten all about

for the first assignment

assignment

Example Tuesday

Tutor has read my message

Not sure if what I posted

postings from yesterday but not

was appropriate ... would

made any comment

have liked tutor to have commented

Example Wednesday

Tutor does not appear to have

Some message postings

been online today ...

from my online colleagues but tutor has not read them

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Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

DR2 [To be competed by the tutor]

Day

Tutor activity

Observations

Example Monday

Sent message to the whole group

Important to send

reminding them of deadline for

reminders as learners

the first assignment

often do not make a note of important dates and deadlines

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Example Tuesday

Spent time this morning reading

Decided not to contribute

through the message postings

to the discussion this morning as learners appear to be participating well and developing the ideas very well

Example Wednesday

Not online today...

Was made clear to learners that I would not be online on Wednesdays - but wonder if they realize why

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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ROLES IN ONLINE LEARNING

RPUOL6

Dynamics or dynamite

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: * outline the stages of group formation and group working; sr recognize instances of each stage within their own group working online; and *

I

develop strategies for building these stages into effective group work online.

Rationale Putting learners into groups and telling them to cooperate does not guarantee that they will

automatically know how to cooperate and interact effectively. Learning collaboratively means that learners not only need to understand the tasks but also the group skills required in order to function as part of a team. If the learners are not aware of the teamwork skills, the task may not be completed. Effective group-work skills require that learners understand the nature and quality of interactions between them and over time so they come to understand how well they are functioning. The group-work process can be enhanced when the group reflects on the individual actions that helped or hindered achievement of group goals. When learners consider what is helpful or a hindrance, they can begin the process of holding group members accountable for their actions and the effect this can have on collaborative outcomes. Reflection on the effectiveness of group processes also enables learners to identify difficulties with the group work functioning and enables them to put in place strategies to ensure full accountability. It is important to remember that not all 'actions' will be deliberate and there needs to be a fair degree of tolerance, at least in the early stages, while learners adjust to what could be a new environment and way of working together. This activity is most appropriately carried out at the end of a small group collaborative task in which through the process of working together the group produced an end product (e.g. a project, summary, guidelines, list of key points). The activity provides an opportunity for the learner to reflect on the process of working collaboratively to achieve a common aim. Ideally this task should be carried out with reconstituted small groups from the original task. In other words members of the different groups come together forming a new group. This provides the individual with different examples and models of how groups work together.

10

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Stages of group formation and group working Dealing with problems which arise within online groups

O)

Preparation for the activity Assuming the use of this activity follows another collaborative task involving small group work, to prepare for this activity you should: m consider the membership of groups in the previous activity and regroup the learners so as to ensure that the new groups consist of a mix of the members from each of the

Interaction Small groups

groups in the previous task; and « send the new groups a message outlining group

Context Distance learning

membership and explaining the task (SMP1) + (DR1).

Midway through an online course Where problems arise within online groups Problem-solving

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « discuss in their groups what they think is the order of the five stages of group formation (DR1); ii discuss how their group worked for the previous collaborative task, giving practical examples of the different stages as appropriate; and ii identify strategies for more effective group working in the future. You should: « monitor and facilitate the discussion as appropriate; and •

provide the groups with the answers (DR2) when required.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: « post the guidelines for effective group working that the group has developed in the course of their discussions.

Sample message postings SMP1 You are going to be working in a new group for this activity. The members of the group are [insert list of group members here]. In this activity you are going to discuss how groups form to work effectively and identify strategies for future group working in the future.

10

First, you should access the attached document (DR1) and in your group discuss what you think to be the normal order of the identified 5 stages of group formation. When you have done this, please let me know and I will send you the answers for you to compare. Next you should consider these five stages with reference to the group work you have just completed. 1. Can you each identify the different stages in the way your group worked together in the previous activity? 2. Can you provide examples and compare these with those suggested by your online colleagues? Finally you should draw up a set of guidelines for effective group work online, about eight to ten bullet points, and post these to the whole group forum by [date].

SR1

Dependent resources

Five stages of group formation Which order do you think these five stages of group formation normally follow? Storming This stage typically includes conflict and an expression of interpersonal hostility within the group. It is as if any of the uncertainties and deeper emotions from the previous stage have become unfrozen and/or projected on to other people in the group. Differences are asserted and seen as all or nothing, for or against. Issues of personal freedom versus the group authority arise and leaders of opposing arguments collect followers. Performing Now members settle into, and are reasonably satisfied with, functional roles. The group acquires a distinct sense of itself as a culture. One role that the group will probably decide is concerned with its continuity, which naturally leads to the final stage. Norming Emphasis at this stage is now placed on mutual concerns and interrelationships. The freedom/authority conflict as storming has been resolved. Behaviours now turn to listening, asking opinions, building on others, etc. Personal values are replaced by group values, common goals are agreed, ground rules may be established and a sense of open collaboration is created, but not without some compromise on the freedom experienced in the second stage and some negotiation. Informing In this final, and sometimes ignored, stage the group starts to give voice to the outside world, communicating for instance with other groups, and agreeing how it will further its work. Forming When a group of people are put together to complete a collaborative task online, there may be initial concerns with the nature of the task: what has to be done, by what time and with what resources. The group members will be checking out what is appropriate behaviour and adjusting accordingly. Group members may feel a need to create a sense of self in the group.

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If value portions of self are not lodged, recognized and reciprocated, a dissatisfaction concerning

the group learning experience is likely to be sensed. This supports the somewhat paradoxical hypothesis that a group cannot come together until each member has established her or his own separate individuality. (Adapted from Jacques 1992)

DR2 Answers Forming When a group of people are put together to complete a collaborative task online, there may be initial concerns with the nature of the task: what has to be done, by what time and with what resources. The group members will be checking out what is appropriate behaviour and adjusting accordingly. Group members may feel a need to create a sense of self in the group. If value portions of self are not lodged, recognized and reciprocated, a dissatisfaction concerning the group-learning experience is likely to be sensed. This supports the somewhat paradoxical hypothesis that a group cannot come together until each member has established her or his own separate individuality.J£ Storming This stage typically includes conflict and an expression of interpersonal hostility within the group. It is as if any of the uncertainties and deeper emotions from the previous stage have become unfrozen and/or projected on to other people in the group. Differences are asserted and seen as all or nothing, for or against. Issues of personal freedom versus the authority arise and leaders of opposing arguments collect followers. Norming Emphasis at this stage is now placed on mutual concerns and interrelationships. The freedom/authority conflict as storming has been resolved. Behaviours now turn to listening, asking opinions, building on others, etc. Personal values are replaced by group values, common goals are agreed, ground rules may be established and a sense of open collaboration is created, but not without some compromise on the freedom experienced in the second stage and some negotiation. Performing Now members settle into, and are reasonably satisfied with, functional roles. The group acquires a distinct sense of itself as a culture. One role that the group will probably decide is concerned with its continuity, which naturally leads to the final stage. Informing In this final, and sometimes ignored, stage the group starts to give voice to the outside world, communicating for instance with other groups, and agreeing how it will further its work. (Adapted from Jacques 1992)

Activity variations/extensions A variation or extension to this activity would be to involve the e-learners in exploration of Belbin's team roles and how these apply to the online context in general and to the different personalities within their own particular online group.

10

For more information ... Learning in Groups by David Jacques (1992), BELBIN®Team-Roles www.belbin.com/belbinteam-roles.htm

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ESTABLISHING THE NORMS RPUOL7

The need for netiquette

Activity contributed by Mark A. Pegrum and Bridget Cook

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « appreciate the need for 'netiquette'; « gain an awareness of key 'netiquette1 and online style guidelines; and « identify ways to approach difficult situations that may arise in online communication.

I Rationale Many learners who are new to e-learning do not appreciate how easily misunderstandings can occur in online communication, particularly in courses involving learners from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This activity highlights the need to follow 'netiquette', the term often used to describe the rules or expectations about the nature of online contributions and a shared notion of acceptable online behaviour. After reviewing a handout on this subject, learners have the opportunity to compose lists of examples of appropriate online language. They are then presented with a series of case study scenarios based on past problems and, in discussing ways of dealing with these, gain greater insight into how to handle interpersonal communicative difficulties that may arise. This activity as written assumes that the language used will be English, and the wording within example resources reflects this. The resources could be adapted for use with groups working in other languages.

105

Focus Becoming acquainted with netiquetteand online style guidelines Interaction Whole group

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m

create g Netiquette Group Forum;

m provide a guide to netiquette and online style (possibly with reference to web resources) (DR1); m devise and post one (or more) general brainstorming

Asynchronous

question(s) about potential or actual difficulties in online

Context [corners who are new to online learning

communication (SMP2);

devise and post three (or more) language qestions aboutr appropriate phrases and expressions for use online (SMP3, SMP4andSMP5); « devise and post three (or more) case study scenarios (ideally modified and anonymized versions of past communication problems which have arisen between participants on the course) (SMP6, SMP7 and SMP8); « outline the time available for the overall activity and the start/end dates for each stage; and « send the instructions for the first stage to your e-learners (SMP1). To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: « read/review netiquette and online style guidelines.

Stage one: initial discussion - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « respond to the general brainstorming question(s) posted in the Netiquette Group Forum; « respond to each of the language questions posted in the Netiquette Group Forum; « respond to and comment on each other's suggestions; and •

respond to any further comments or questions you may post.

You should: « monitor the learners' responses, asking questions or making suggestions as appropriate; and « remind your e-learners of the timescale for this stage of the activity.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « weave learners' answers together and allocate particular learners to summarize key insights raised; •

ensure that lists of examples of appropriate online language have been finalized; and

» announce that learners should now turn to the case study scenarios, indicating which

102

learners should work on which scenarios or whether they are free to choose; learners should also be told the deadline for completion of this stage of the activity.

Stage two - case study scenarios - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: # respond to one or more of the case study scenarios posted in the Netiquette Group Forum; m respond to and comment on each other's suggestions; and * respond to any further comments or questions you may post. you should: • monitor the learners' responses, asking questions or making suggestions as appropriate;

and « remind your e-learners of the timescale for this stage of the activity. Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: • weave learners' answers together and allocate particular learners to summarize key insights raised; * (if possible) describe how each of the scenarios was actually resolved; <• say whether you feel learners' suggested strategies would have been helpful in resolving the scenarios; • ask learners what they think they have learned from the discussion; « ask learners whether they have any final queries. Your e-learners should: « reflect on their learning from the activity; « respond to your questions and raise any remaining questions they may have; and « identify three key ways in which this activity will impact on their personal use of netiquette in online discussion.

Sample message postings SMP1 This course is all about learning through dialogue with your e-tutors and your peers. In this discussion we will be exploring how best to build an online learning community and what this means in terms of how we interact online. Inevitably, in online communication, voice, gestures and other visual cues are missing and it is particularly important to try to ensure that what you are saying will not be misunderstood by other participants. Before beginning the activity, you may find it helpful to review the document 'An introduction to online style and netiquette' (DR1). You should start by clicking on the four discussion threads in the group forum. The first asks you to discuss potential or actual online communication difficulties, while the next three ask you to suggest phrases or expressions that would be appropriate for use in particular contexts. In responding to each question, you may wish to refer to the above-mentioned handout or any web resources you know. Please also feel free to respond to and comment on others' postings. The aim of this part of the discussion is to raise your awareness of potential problems as well as to establish lists of examples of appropriate language use.

1

I look forward to reading your contributions in the coming days.

SMP2 General forum: potential communication problems What kinds of communication problems could you imagine arising in the online classroom? If you have had past experience of such problems, you might like to give actual examples - but please make sure that you anonymize them. You might also like to say what effect these problems had on the group and how they were dealt with, as well as suggesting ways of dealing with problems mentioned by others. Please click on the Reply button to respond. ° "" '

'

Language forum one: stating your opinion The purpose of online discussion is to generate an exchange of opinions. However, when offering an opinion - especially if it is something about which you feel strongly it is important to state your case clearly without being too trenchant or forceful. This is particularly so in a multicultural group where members may be used to different discourse conventions and where, despite the common medium of English, it is possible unintentionally to give offence. It should be noted that discourse conventions in English differ from those found in other languages, while there is also internal variation between, for example, British, North American and Australasian forms of English, and again between different contexts within those varieties. While we certainly do not wish to limit interaction through a rigid insistence on one set of cultural practices, this course is based on what might be loosely described as the academic/educational conventions of British English, with their relatively strong emphasis on politeness and neutrality. We believe that these provide a suitable basis on which all participants can learn to work amicably together. [NB: the preceding information should be modified to reflect the linguistic/ cultural framework and expectations of the course.] Examples of appropriate phraseology for stating your opinion might include: It would seem to me that... It is worth considering the point that... Beginning with these examples, the group should compose a list to which each student adds two or more expressions that are suitable for stating an opinion. When you add your expressions, you should repost the whole list with the new phrases added at the end. This way, the group will develop a cumulative list. If you disagree with any elements in the developing list, please feel free to write a reply detailing your objections - see Language forum two for tips on how to do this!

SMP4 Language forum two: disagreeing

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Inevitably, sometimes people will disagree with one another, but this contributes to the richness of discussion and is an essential part of the learning process. However, it is important to know how to express disagreement without giving offence. It is not possible to eliminate the risk of offending anyone entirely, but the chance of this happening can certainly be minimized if everyone uses careful wording in situations of potential conflict.

Examples of appropriate phraseology for expressing disagreement might include: Although I understand your point of view, I'm not sure that I entirely agree, because ... It's true that... , but have you thought about... ? Beginning with these examples, the group should compose a list to which each student adds two or more expressions that are suitable for expressing disagreement. When you add your expressions, you should repost the whole list with the new phrases added at the end. This way, the group will develop a cumulative list. If you disagree with any elements in the developing list, please tell us about your disagreement - in a carefully phrased posting!

SMP5 Language forum three: if you're offended ... First and foremost, seek clarification before you assume understanding - generally people don't intend to give offence and problems are often the result of a simple misunderstanding. However, if you do feel that someone has said something inappropriate, and if you have established that your interpretation does, in fact, match the author's intention, try not to respond in haste. Sleep on it, and compose a measured response the next day. Think carefully about the language you use in order to avoid an escalation of the situation. If you can gently show the person concerned that he or she has caused you offence and explain why, sorting out the difficulty may prove to be quite straightforward ... and you may both learn something in the process. Remember that negotiating meaning is an essential part of the educational process and if you cease to do this you are effectively cutting yourself off from the benefits of interactive learning. Examples of appropriate phraseology for showing that you are offended might include: I'm a little concerned by what you seem to be saying about... The thought of ... makes me slightly uncomfortable because ... Beginning with these examples, the group should compose a list where each student adds two or more expressions that are suitable for expressing the feeling of being offended or upset by what someone has said. When you add your expressions, you should repost the whole list with the new phrases added at the end. This way, the group will develop a cumulative list. If you disagree with any elements of the developing list, don't forget to mention this.

SMP6 Case study one Please note that all the scenarios we will be examining are based on real events that have occurred in past years in online courses. Names and other details have been changed to protect the identity of participants. As you will see, misunderstandings can occur despite the best intentions of those involved ... Scenario: Student A has low computer literacy and is starting an online course for the first time. Keyboard skills do not come naturally to him. In the first week's class, he responds little and slowly on the discussion board. Student B is very proficient at IT and wants to encourage Student A to contribute more. In an attempt to involve

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Student A, she sends frequent postings to the discussion board, making comments such as: 'How are you, A?', 'Where are you today, A?', 'Haven't heard from you for a while, A - is everything OK?' Student A feels he is being bombarded and falls completely silent by the end of the week. How do you feel this situation ought to be dealt with? Please discuss your answers.

SMP7 Case study two Please note that all the scenarios we will be examining are based on real events that have occurred in past years in online courses. Names and other details have been changed to protect the identity of participants. As you will see, misunderstandings can occur despite the best intentions of those involved ... Scenario: In a discussion board report, Student C makes reference to a North American television personality. Student D, with a different linguistic and cultural background, posts a message enquiring about the significance of the reference, as he has never heard of the person in question. Student C writes an apologetic response, giving an explanation but saying that she should perhaps not have made the reference in the first place as it might have excluded non-Anglophones. Student D immediately posts reply on the discussion board, as well as forwarding it by email to several other learners on the course, stating that he is deeply offended by the implication that n-native speakers of English should not concern themselves with Anglophone cultural references. How do you feel this situation ought to be dealt with? Please discuss your answers.

SMP8 Case study three Please note that all the scenarios we will be examining are based on real events that have occurred in past years in online courses. Names and other details have been changed to protect the identity of participants. As you will see, misunderstandings can occur despite the best intentions of those involved ... Scenario: In an online tutorial group consisting of ten learners, there are two who are extremely enthusiastic and respond to nearly every report and posting, often at quite some length, as well as posting many questions to other learners. In the same class there are two learners who do the absolute minimum required, generally posting no more than one report and one discussion board reply each week. Neither tends to respond to the questions of the two very enthusiastic learners. Several weeks into the course, one of the enthusiastic learners posts a message on the discussion board, complaining in a general way about the lack of participation of some learners. A few days later, a posting is made by one of the low-rate participants, who states that she feels overwhelmed by the presence of the two dominant learners. How do you feel this situation ought to be dealt with? Please discuss your answers.

11

Dependent resources DRN1 An introduction to online style and 'netiquette' In order to ensure the smooth running of the online learning platform, it is helpful for everyone to have similar expectations about the nature of online contributions as well as a shared notion of acceptable online behaviour. The term 'netiquette' is often used to describe the rules governing the latter area. Below we have listed some guidelines that we consider to be of prime importance in the online learning environment. Please keep this list as a handy reference - and feel free to annotate and add to it as you become a more experienced online communicator! Do remember that in online discussions (whether synchronous or asynchronous) and email, writing is more like speech - that is to say, less formal, less structured and more prone to error than traditional writing. It is acceptable, especially if you are typing quickly, to make 'typos' (i.e. typographical errors), minor spelling mistakes, and even to write slightly ungrammatical phrases/sentences, as long as the content is clear. Don'f forget, however, that traditional task types such as essays or reports are still governed by traditional rules of writing: they should be relatively formal, well structured and have correct spelling and grammar. Do feel free to make use of emoticons (e.g. the smiley symbol ©) in discussions and emails, especially if you feel there's a chance something you've said might be misinterpreted. Don't use emoticons in traditional tasks such as essays or reports. Do always keep your audience in mind, and tailor your writing accordingly. Do explain anything that might not be clear to people from different cultures or backgrounds. If you want to discuss an example of German methodology, Chinese calligraphy, French philosophy or the Arabic language, you'll need to fill us in on the details, or at least indicate where we can read up on them. Do give useful book or article titles, or web addresses. Don't state the obvious - most of us won't need you to explain that Esperanto is an artificial language, for example. Do ask questions - as many as you like - if, for example, you don't know what Esperanto is! Don't make irrelevant comments during a topic-focused discussion. Do refer to others' posts specifically if you are responding to them. Do address others by name if you are replying or directing a question to a particular person. Because so many people can be writing at once, your 'direct response1 may end up separated from the original comment by several lines if other people make comments in the meantime. Do keep looking back over past discussions and discussion threads to refer to relevant comments.

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Do make comments that, although not directly focused on the current thread of the discussion, are nonetheless relevant to the topic. An asynchronous discussion board can support many concurrent threads where participants examine different aspects of the same topic. Do make any comments you want to (irrelevant or otherwise!) in 'Student Chat1 areas, or in private emails to other learners or the e-tutors - though with the provisos below. Do use unbiased language. Try to make statements gender neutral wherever possible. Do not biased statements concerning gender, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability. If you are unsure about this, please ask. We can provide you with some pointers outlining good practice, in accordance with equal opportunities guidelines. Do feel free to disagree with others' ideas or arguments - but always make sure that your disagreement is backed up with clear reasons or arguments. Don't make aggressive personal comments, or launch attacks on people with whose views you disagree. Remember: you may challenge ideas, not people! Don'tengage in flaming! The reduction in social inhibitions that many people experience online, and which leads to positive effects such as greater participation by all, can also have negative effects. You may not be able to see other people, but that doesn't mean they aren't there, or that they can't be upset by your comments. It has been observed that in the semi-anonymous online environment, small disagreements can quickly descend into vitriolic exchanges known as flaming. These are not acceptable under any circumstances, whether an e-tutor is present or not

Do take time to cool off if you see comments or viewpoints with which you strongly disagree. If you strongly disagree with or are offended by something that someone else has said, sleep on it - let yourself cool off overnight - before replying in a calm way, giving clear, rational reasons why you disagree or have taken offence. Do remember that everything you write is recorded permanently, so don't say anything that you might regret tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. When you look back at your contributions to online discussions, we hope that you will see genuine progress. Having made mistakes in the past, or having changed your mind about certain issues, is not a problem. Having made unfair or aggressive comments to other participants, however, is a problem - and at the very least may leave you feeling rather embarrassed as you read over past discussion logs. Do contact your e-tutor directly if there is a situation that has upset you to the point that you feel you cannot handle it yourself. However, if everyone sticks to the guidelines listed here, we hope that such situations will not arise.

Activity variations/extensions A variation would be to get the group to devise a list of netiquette dos don'ts for the group rather than giving them one - this is the basis for the activity in RPUOL8 and works best with those who have worked online before.

1

For more information ... literacies, technologies, and learning communities: speaking and writing in the virtual classroom', by Robin Goodfellow (2003). Paper delivered at EuroCALL03, Limerick, Ireland, 5 September, http://iet.open.ac.Uk/pp/r.goodfellow/Euroc03/talk.htm

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^S^^ffi^ffi^^^^R^^^QHIIHHHHHIII

RPUOL8

Our online community-agreeing the house rules

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « identify the dos and don'ts of face-to-face and online groups; « analyse significant differences between learning in online and face-to-face groups; and « work with their online colleagues to develop a set of house rules for their online course.

I Rationale This activity aims to provide an opportunity for groups to develop their own 'house rules' for how they will operate as a group. The activity is based on the premise that 'house rules' are all the more necessary in the online context, which is a different learning situation for most e-learners, and that it is important for the groups to explore and work this out for themselves rather than be given a set of ready-made rules up front. Clearly the 'house rules' for the online context will include a focus on netiquette (see RPUOL7). However, they go beyond these aspects of online communication and cover a broader range of group 'behaviour' online. Depending on the course itself, the e-learners and the patterns of study, the groups may want to establish agreement relating to areas such as confidentiality, when/how often the group members will log on, how to go about group work, etc. This activity has been used successfully on courses involving e-learners who have worked online before but within different courses and contexts, and who may bring varying expectations to the current course. The activity provides a mechanism for airing and sharing those expectations

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in order to reach a consensus across what is to be a new virtual group.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

House rules

To prepare for the activity you should:

Netiquette

m put your e-learners into small groups (three or four

Interaction Small group and whole group Synchronous/ asynchronous

m

e-learners); p repare a message containing the instructions to open the ,_.. . activity and send it to the individual groups (SMP1J;

*

identify the timeframe for the activity and the deadlines for each stage; and

m set up the small group forums and whole group forum that

context

.. r-t x , Start of an online course

the e-learners will use to communicate with each other.

Learners with some experience ofe-learning

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should:^ •

read the message from the tutor and follow the instructions provided (SMP1);

• give a brief introduction of themselves to the other members of their online group; » work together to discuss both offline and online group behaviour and attempt to draw list of three house rules for the online group; and •

identify significant differences between online and face-to-face dos and don'ts.

You should: •

be available to answer any queries or questions the e-learners may have about the activity

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind the e-learners of the deadline for this stage of the activity; •

bring all the small groups together in the whole group forum; and

m send an appropriate posting to open the whole-group discussion (SMP2).

Stage two - whole-group learning Your e-learners should: « compare the lists they have compiled in small groups; « come to a group consensus on the ten rules the majority of people feel are the most important; and • share insights about the similarities/differences between learning in the classroom and online. You should: « monitor and guide the discussion and contribute to the final decision-making to ensure that all e-learners get a say in decisions that will affect the whole group and their experience of learning online.

^u

Sample message postings SMP1 In any group situation there are often rules of behaviour, the dos and don'ts of the group working and communication. Online groups are no different and you need to sort out what will be the dos and don'ts of how you will communicate as a group online, and other aspects of how the online group will work. In this activity we are going to identify appropriate house rules for our online group. As you discuss the possible rules we might adopt, you might like to consider things such as rules of communication, confidentiality, when/how often people might log on, how to go about group work, etc. You will work in small groups for the first stage of this activity and then we will move into a whole group discussion. You are in group [insert number/name of group here] and your online colleagues for the first stage of this activity are [insert names here]. In your group you should identify: « some of the dos and don'ts of face-to-face groups in general; some of the dos and don'ts specific to learning in face-to-face groups; three dos and don'ts of learning in online groups; and any significant differences between learning in online groups and face-to-face groups. You should aim to complete this first stage of the activity by [date]. The whole group activity will open on [date].

SMP2 You have been working in your groups to identify the house rules for our online course and each group has developed a set of rules they feel are important. You should now: • share your group's thoughts with the whole group; and » work together to discuss the reasons for your thoughts and draw up a list of ten netiquette rules that you can all agree on.

For more Information ... Virtual Learning Communities: a guide for practitioners, by Dina Lewis and Barbara Allan (2005), Open University Press, Chapter 4.

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3

Resources for learning to learn

activity online

Learning to learn actively online Organizational skills

Information skills

p. 120

p. 139

RLL1

RLL4

RLL9

24 hours in a day

Searching and

Building the plans

finding

p. 163

—^

Writing skillls p. 163

p. 139

RLL2 Teamwork online getting the job done on time

RLL5 Fool's gold or the reafthing?

RLL10 Using and abusing tools to improve writing style

p. 127

p. 144

p. 169

RLL3

RLL6

RLL11

'Spinning a meaningful web'

Using ICT tools for note-taking

Writing bees

p. 133

p. 149

RLL7

This is what we want to know p. 154

RLL8

Sharing responses to reading p. 158

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173

The resources in this section will provide the e-tutor with activities to help learners develop the practical skills needed as a foundation for effective learning online and provide guidance for the e-tutor in fostering and supporting learner independence. Active learning in the online context involves the development of new skills that go beyond the technical functionality and how to use the Internet technology. Without the external structure of timetabled face-to-face classes they have to attend, learners need strategies to find and organize time for learning, prioritize tasks and fit online and offline aspects of study around work and family responsibilities in order to manage their workload. Learners need to interact with new types of resources, adopt strategies to avoid information overload, evaluate the reliability and relevance of sources, and organize ideas in the unstructured virtual world of the World Wide Web. Tasks addressing these challenges are combined with others that help learners to exploit effectively the new tools the computer makes available to them for the development of their writing and planning skills, and yet others that suggest ways in which the communicative potential of the Internet might help e-learners gain more from reading.

See also: RPUOL1 Online learning -the same or different? RPUOL3 What's my style? RPUOL4 Doing it online! RPAAS2 Piecing the jigsaw together - web-questing RPAAS7 Building a collaborative bank RPAAS10 Learning contracts

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ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS RLL1

24 hours in a day

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: » demonstrate an awareness of the need for good time management for effective and successful learning; •

identify differences between study online and offline; and

m produce a weekly study timetable appropriate to his/her personal and professional context and the pattern of online/offline working on a course.

I Rationale Time management is an issue in any learning context. However, one of the key advantages of online learning - the ability to learn when one chooses - can often turn to the e-learner's great disadvantage as he/she juggles personal and professional commitments with study, with no fixed 'class times' to enable them to prioritize, organize their time and 'protect' time for learning from other more pressing commitments. There is, therefore, often a need in the early stages of a period of online learning to provide some guidance in time management and this activity aims to provide a focus on this at a personal level. This activity will also provide you, as tutor, with a first insight into the approach to online learning being taken by your individual e-learners and it will enable you to check that they have put in place realistic time management plans in order to complete their study within the given deadlines and timescales. The overview you gain of the study patterns of your group of e-learners as a whole will in turn help to organize the collaborative elements of the online learning period.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Time management

To prepare for the activity you should:

Organizing online and

m decide on the timescale for each stage of the activity;

offline work

m

identify the deadlines your e-learners will need to meet

Interaction Individual and whole group

prepare the messages you will send to your e-learners at ^ ^ , each Sta e of the actlvlt 9 Y (SMP1- 2 - 3): « identify an appropriate section of the course to form the

Synchronous/ asynchronous

m set Up Open

« . . Context Learners new to online learning

•

focus for student planning in stage two of the activity; and forurn for tne whole group activity in stage three.

Start of an online course

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity You should: m

post an activity opening message to each of your e-learners (SMP1).

Your e-learners should: •

follow the instructions given (SMP1); and

« complete the chart organizing time for study (DR1).

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity You should: *

post an activity opening message to each of your e-learners (SMP2); and

« be prepared to respond to individual queries and questions. Your e-learners should: •

follow the instructions given (SMP2); and

*

look at the work involved in the next part of the course and map out an action plan to get that work done, paying particular attention to the online and offline elements of the work (DR2).

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: « submit their revised chart Organizing time for study to you. This will enable you to gain and overall picture of their planning, identify issues to raise during the discussion in stage three, and possibly provide feedback/comment to the individual e-learners on their completed charts.

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Stage three - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: » consider the questions posted by the e-tutor; m respond to these questions accordingly; and « take an active part in the discussion with their online colleagues. You should: m

monitor and facilitate the activity of the group.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close you should: « provide a summary posting of the key issues raised in the discussion in response to the questions posted (SMP4).

Sample message postings SMP1 As with any course of study, be it online, at a distance, part time or blended, good time management is often the key to effective and successful learning. It is therefore important to have a clear idea of when and how much time you have available for study during any given week. You should use the chart Organizing time for study to work out the times during a given week when you are able study. For example, you should identify the times when: » it would be impossible for you to study (e.g. time to sleep, times at work, family responsibilities, etc.); m you will have access to a computer; m you will NOT have access to a computer; m you are likely to be tired, perhaps after coming home from work; and * you are likely to be alert and able to work hard. If the pattern of your work or other responsibilities makes every week different, do the chart for the coming week, or complete two or maybe three charts to represent typical patterns across different weeks.

SMP2 You have now considered when you have the time to study in any given week. However, finding the time is not the whole answer. You also have to find ways of using that time effectively. This is particularly true when learning online. For example, you may not always have access to a computer or to the Internet, so this will determine when you can work online. Or you may be tired or liable to interruption at certain times, in which case it might be better to use that time for tasks such as catching up with messages from your online colleagues, or finding and bookmarking key websites and other resources rather than allocating those times for concentrated work on a course assignment.

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You should now consider carefully the activities/tasks/assignments set for the next

part of the course. You should pay particular attention to the online and offline elements of the work. Use the resource Online and offline learning (DR2) in your planning. « When are the best times for you to work online? • When are the best times for you to work offline? You should now consider the answers to the above questions in relation to your chart Organizing time for study and submit your revised chart to your e-tutor by [date].

SMP3 You have each worked individually to map out what you feel will be the best and worst times for study and how you can best allocate time to online and offline study. You may now have questions or concerns about the difficulties you think you will face in planning and others may have identified strategies that could also be useful to you. It will also be useful for everyone to know when you will each be studying and available to contribute to online discussions and other activities. You should visit the open forum set up for the whole-group activity and read any messages that have already been sent in. You should send in your own contribution to the discussion outlining: 1. days/times when you will be able to study for the course (e.g. weekends, mornings, one hour per evening Monday-Friday, etc.); 2. days/times when you are most likely to be online; 3. days/times when you would or would not be available to communicate and/or collaborate online with the tutor and other students on the course; and 4. how you have decided to allocate time to the online and offline elements of the course. You should also mention any concerns you have or particular challenges you may face, and should respond to the contributions of others with any ideas you may have to solve the problems they have mentioned.

SMP4 The summary posting arising out of the whole-group discussion may include: •

implications that the patterns of study are likely to have for the group as a whole - e.g. an overall plan of times when the majority of online activity might be expected, and/or problems with online access which will have to be taken into consideration; m the timetabling of synchronous activities or events, video conferences, text chat, etc.; and » the best times for tutor access to the online group and tutoring support times, within the constraints of other work responsibilities.

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D^npndpnt rp<miirrp<; DR1 Organizing time for study Monday 01.00 02.00 03.00 04.00 05.00 06.00 07.00 08.00 09.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 Midday 13,00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 Midnight

24

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

DR2 On- and offline learning Not all e-learning takes place online. An aspect of your period of online learning which is likely to be new for most people is the need to balance online learning with learning you do offline away from the computer and deciding on the best time to do each. Look at the work to be done in the sample unit of your course and complete the following. Learning offline Tasks/activities that can be completed away from the computer

'The tasks

The times when you can do them

e.g. Reading coursebook e.g. Writing assignment

Learning online

e.g. Synchronous chat with buddy

Tasks/activities that involve being online and for which you will need to use the computer

group for collaborative task e.g. Web searches

• NB Some course tasks belong in both categories - e.g. a task may involve offline reading and note-taking and then require you to go online to send a message to the rest of the group.

Activity variations/extensions Activity variation The e-learners are assigned to buddy groups ahead of this task and use the chart Organizing time for study to map out their own availability for study and communication with others and then to organize the collaborative work of the group. E-learners are asked to identify: M how the members of the buddy group can support each other - e.g. times when they can all be online; • •

timescales of how they will work around the study timetables to ensure completion of group tasks; and ways in which roles within the group might be best organized in the light of times when individuals are available for study.

Activity extension At the end of the first unit of the course, you may want to ask your e-learners to review the planning for studying online and to discuss the extent to which they have found their early planning effective. Points to consider might include: « problems encountered in keeping to their plan for online study; •

changes they intend to make to their time planning; and

1245

•

strategies which helped them in their online study.

The e-learners could then discuss the issues raised in a whole-group forum.

For more information ... Palgrave Guide to Time Management, www.palgrave.com/skills4study/html/studyskills/ timemanagement.htm E-Learning Skills by Alan Clarke (2004), Palgrave Macmillan

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ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS Teamwork online - getting the job done on RLL2 time Adapted from 'Working backwards from goals' - from The Recipe Book, 6.9 (Lindstromberg 1990)

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « work backwards from an identified end goal to map out the steps needed to ensure that a given target or key task is achieved; and » collaborate with others within a small virtual group to plan individual and group actions to achieve an identified goal.

I

Rationale

This activity is designed to meet the needs of learners on part-time distance-learning courses that involve working with others online. It will be especially relevant to those who are new to independent learning and working on projects and other unstructured learning tasks where they have responsibility for planning towards an identified end goal. The activity focuses on the planning that is needed when working with others to complete a project or other complex task for an online course of study. To achieve the goal and meet the deadline given, it is a good idea for e-learners to map out the steps that need to be completed, and work out the timing to make sure everything can be fitted in. This is particularly important when working on a task with others and when online communication and collaboration makes time and work management an imperative. There are a number of reasons why this is the case. E-learning largely involves independent learning where the e-learners need to assume more individual or group responsibility for the planning and execution of e-learning tasks than in traditional contexts, many of which tend to be more teacher directed. E-learning allows work on collaborative tasks. However, the fact that when working asynchronously this collaboration can be more time consuming is often overlooked and the need for a clear time structure and good time management skills forgotten. It is all the more important to take this matter seriously because, for the vast majority of e-learners, e-learning activity has to be fitted around other activities and it is easy for time to run away. Since group decision-making for the management of work on an online course is the focus of the task, the e-learners should be given relative freedom to decide how to approach the activity and which steps to incorporate to achieve their goal.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Planning

To prepare for the activity you should:

Work management

m choose a collaborative group task within the course to be the focus for this activity; this will ideally be an activity involving a number of sub-tasks, and the end goal should

n erac ion smajfjdf Synchronous/ asynchronous

be clearl

Y stated- Suitable activities would be a coursework project, an instance of problem-based learning or the

'cpreparation of a group presentation; Context Part-time distance or „ iearnjna Learnersnewto independent learning and working on projects Courses involving unstructured learning tasks where e-learners have responsibility for planning

m

identify the time structure for the activity and an end date , . , , . , .. , . , , . . . date by which it should be completed; and

* P re P are instructions for the activity (SMP1).

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

access your instructions for this stage of the activity (SMP1);

• work independently to look at the assigned group task, consider the end goal for the work and think backwards from that goal, stage by stage towards the present; • make notes of the tasks they think are involved; and » complete this preparation in time for the group planning discussion. You should: m be prepared to respond to individual queries and questions; p remind your e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage; and « send instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - small group learning This is the pre-planning stage of the activity.

During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

access your instructions for this stage of the activity (SMP2); and

•

work in their small groups to discuss how they will approach the main collaborative task.

You should: • be prepared to respond to queries and questions from the groups;

^_

remind your e-learners of the deadline for completion of this pre-planning stage; and send instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP3).

Stage three - small group learning This is the stage of the activity where the e-learners work in small virtual groups to complete the main collaborative

During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « access your instructions for this stage of the activity (SMP3); and •

pool their individual ideas to arrive at a group plan of action or the assigned task.

You should: • remind your e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage of the activity.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a clos You should: m remind your e-learners that they are expected to contribute their group plan to the whole group forum by the deadline given (in SMP3); » prepare a discussion to take place within the whole group forum; and •

invite your e-learners to take part in this discussion (SMP4).

Stage four - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •\ go to the whole group forum and read your message opening the group discussion; * read any contributions already posted by other members of the online group; and ** respond to share their own thoughts on any of the questions posed. Yot; should: * monitor and facilitate the discussion; * prepare and post a closing message; and » summarize key points arising during the discussion.

Sample message postings SMP1 As you will be aware, when writing an essay for study it is rarely advisable to simply start writing at the top of the page, making decisions about what to write as you go. Similarly, when making a long car journey, very few people make decisions about the route as they go along. In both cases planning is necessary, looking ahead to the end goal and working backwards to work out how best to get where you want to be. The same is true when working with others to complete a project or other complex task for your online course of study. To achieve your goal and meet the deadline

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given, it is a good idea to map out the steps that need to be completed, and work out the timing to make sure everything can be fitted in. This is particularly important when working on a task with others and when online communication and collaboration makes time and work management imperative. In this stage of the activity you are going to work on your own to identify a plan of action that, in the next stage, you will compare with the plans prepared by your online colleagues. You should: » work independently to look at the assigned group task attached to this message, consider the end goal for the work and think backwards from that goal, stage by stage towards the present; • make notes of the tasks you think are involved: n identify the steps needed at each point in order to lead to the next event; n map out a timeframe for the completion of these steps; and « complete this preparation in time for the group planning discussion, which will start on [date]. SMP2 In this stage of the activity you will work with the other members of your online group to pool the ideas you each came up with in your individual planning. The online colleagues who will form part of your online group are: [insert the list of names here]. However, before you can get going with this collaborative task, you will need to contact the other members of your small group to decide how are you are going to complete this task as a group. You will need to decide: * What communication tools you are going to use. s When you are going to communicate. * How you are going to approach this planning task - e.g. is each person going to share their individual plans at once, or are you going to discuss each idea one by one? Is one member of the group going to act as group scribe and be responsible for pulling together the team's ideas/drafts into one document? The deadline for completion of this pre-planning stage is [date]. If you do not meet this deadline, you may find that the overall project will not be completed on time. SMP3 It is now time to work in your online group to complete the main collaborative task. You should 'meet' the other members of your small working group as you have arranged. You may have set a time when you will all 'meet' online to chat at the same time, or you may have identified a particular period when each member will make their contribution to an asynchronous planning discussion. Your task is to pool your individual ideas to arrive at a group plan of action for the assigned task. When considering the plans for completion of your assigned task you will need to bear the following questions in mind:

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« Does the plan correctly identify what actions need to be taken to lead to the next event, and finally to achieve the end goal?

it Is the plan logical? Is it the most efficient way to achieve the end goal? ii Which parts of the plan would each person personally like to take responsibility for?c a How often and when should the group 'meet' online to check progress? When making any suggestions for changes to the plan each student should be concrete and clear, with constructive proposals for alternatives. The resultant plan should be seen as a working document to be reviewed and revised as necessary in the course of the project work itself. You should complete this planning activity and be ready to post your group plan to the whole-group forum by [date].

SMP4 Well done everyone! Not only have you managed to devise a plan of action for a complex project, but you have already proved that you can work effectively in an online group. This is no mean achievement and you should feel pleased with yourselves. The plans you have written may need changing once the project work is under way, but this happens with the best of planning and the best approach is always to see the plan as a 'working document', open to change rather than set in stone. So, how did it go? And how effective do you feel this approach is as a planning process? n Did you find that the process of working backwards from a goal suggested steps towards more creative and practical solutions? « What problems did you encounter when attempting to plan in this way? How did you go about addressing those challenges? m Do you feel that the process of working backwards is a way of solving problems that could be useful in other areas of life? « What lessons have you learned about online collaboration and working in virtual groups? Read any contributions already posted within this online discussion and respond to share your own thoughts on any of these questions. The discussion will close on [date].

Activity variations/extensions 1. If participants are restricted to entirely asynchronous communication, perhaps because of the patterns of work and study of the individuals involved, then the planning process could be simplified by asking for the initial planning to be done solely by one individual in the group, for comment, review and revision by the other members of the group. This, together with a requirement that participants keep to a tight timescale in their ongoing planning activity, should help to avoid the exercise becoming overly time consuming but may need a different set of/additional emphasis on ground rules to prevent overdomination by any one participant and to encourage free-flowing contributions from all participants 2. The task could be adapted to become an individual activity where it would be used as part of a process towards a coursework project negotiated by each student around an individual learning contract. The student would determine their learning aims and

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outcomes, and as part of the planning process would start from the final outcome and work backwards to determine the steps involved and the timescale along their individual route. . Any of the stages of this activity could be allocated to the face-to-face sessions within a blended approach to an e-learning course. In particular, the processes of negotiation and restructuring of initial plans that is the focus of stage two would ideally lend itself to either synchronous online communication or to face-to-face discussion.

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ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS RLL3

'Spinning a meaningful web'

Activity contributed by Jean-Marc Hetsch

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « build a mind-map to capture their own ideas on a given topic; m use the spatial representation of ideas within the mind-map as a way to explore the relationships between different points and organize them into a coherent structure; and m respond to feedback from others to improve the organization of ideas as represented in the mind-map.

I Rationale Mind-mapping allows a learner to generate and capture random ideas and then to organize them in a structured way, grouping those from different topics together and building links to capture the relationships between them. A mind-map provides a simple, easy to understand and memorize, graphical way of representing and understanding complex matters. It has long been promoted as a useful tool to help people to think in a more structured way when, for example, planning the organization of a piece of writing or the tasks to be completed within a complex project. However, mind-mapping software, when combined with the interactive potential provided by the Internet within an e-learning context, takes the individual tool one step further and enables individuals to share their mind maps with others on their course in order to gain feedback and ideas even if they are working in different locations and may never meet. The person giving such feedback can represent their own suggestions equally clearly by editing changes into the mind map itself, tracking changes made so that they can be accepted or rejected by the original author.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Mind-mapping

To prepare for the activity you should:

Planning an individual project

•

Interaction Individual

identify the topic and purpose that is to be the focus of the mind-map; and

« choose the mind-mapping software to be used for the activity and ensure that all participants have access to this software.

Context Learners new to the use on mind-mapping software

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Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity You should:

send a message to each of your e-learners giving instructions for the first stage of the task (SMP1); and m contact your e-learners once the activity is under way to check they understand what they have to do and how to use the software to do it. Youre-learners should: m follow the instructions you have given (SMP1) to brainstorm their own ideas related to the focus of the mind map by clicking on a free space on the map each time they want to enter a new suggestion on the mind-map; and collect as many ideas as possible into the mind-map without worrying about their organization or how they are related.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m remind the e-learners that when they have entered all their ideas for their project they should read the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: m follow the instructions you have given (SMP2) to identify the main ideas, main categories or main concepts to be used as the basis for structuring their ideas and insert these on the map as the main branches; ii follow the guidance material (DR1) and add features to their mind-map to facilitate the understanding and memorizing of the map, using different line and font colours, adding illustrations, etc.; and « start to attach the floating topics to the categories they think they best belong to. You should: » contact your e-learners from time to time to check how they are getting on, whether they are having any problems and when they are ready to move to the next stage of the activity.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: » remind your e-learners of the deadline for completing this stage of the activity; and » send the e-learners a message congratulating them on their achievement and invite them to exchange feedback with another e-learner on their course (SMP3).

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Stage two - pair-work learning During this stage of the activity Your e-/eorners should: • share their mind-maps and any questions or concerns with at least one other e-learner on their course; « give and receive feedback on ways in which the plans could be improved; and « decide how to respond to any feedback received and record the changes in the final version of the mind-map. You should: m organize the e-learners into feedback pairs; and « check that mind-maps are exchanged and that feedback is given and responded to.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind your e-learners of the deadline for completing the final versions of their mindmap; and

« ask them to submit these final version to you by a given deadline.

Sample message postings SMP1 Hi everyone, As you know, you are going to make plans for your individual project about: [insert topic here] You are going to use mind-mapping software to do this because it will allow you to: « capture your own ideas and plans; « explore the relationships between these different ideas and organize them into a coherent structure; » record this structure clearly through the spatial representation within the mindmap; and « share this mind-map with others, get feedback from them as to how your plans could be improved and respond accordingly, recording the changes in the final mind-map to be submitted to your e-tutor. In this first stage of the activity all you have to do is jot down as many ideas as possible about your project. These ideas might include points about the topic you want to work on, ideas for who might help, resources you might use, any problems you might have, etc. Don't worry about how all of these ideas are related at this stage - just click on a free space on the map to enter each suggestion you want to add to the mind-map. Each idea will appear as a floating topic not connected to any others. Jot down as many ideas as possible before you move on to the next stage of the activity. When you have jotted down a good number of 'floating' ideas, follow the instructions in SMP2.

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SMP2 Congratulations! You now have a collection of ideas related to the mind-map topic. Your task in this stage of the activity is to try to sort these ideas into main ideas, main categories or main concepts. You will need to: « Identify what main ideas, main categories or main concepts you want to use as the basis for structuring your ideas (e.g. topic, people who might help, resources, problems, etc.). Insert these on the map as the main branches and give each one a different line and font colour (if you like you can also add some relevant illustration that could facilitate the understanding and memorising of your map). Then start to attach the floating topics to the categories you think they best belong to. Add new ideas as you work, and move ideas around as you change your mind about the organization of your plans. This is easy to do using the mindmapping software as your mind map can be continually changed and edited without looking a mess - so make as many changes as you like to try out new ways of thinking about your plans. You can always undo these changes if you want to go back to your original ideas. Add as much detail as you like - for example, you can start to plan the questions you will use within a questionnaire or to list websites that may help you explore the topic. Follow the attached advice (DR1), which will help to keep your mind-map clear and easy to understand. Try to complete this by [date] when we will move on to the next stage of the activity. SMP3 There you are - you have created a mind-map that will provide a foundation for the work you will do on your individual project. You have generated ideas and have organized them into a plan that you feel will work for you. You may now be feeling ready to begin, with a clear idea of what you want to find out and how you will go about it. On the other hand, this planning process may have raised questions or concerns, things you are not quite sure about. In either case it is a good idea to get feedback from others before you finalize your plans and start the project work. During this final stage of the activity you are going to: • share your mind map and any questions or concerns with at least one other e-learner on your course; m get feedback from them as to aspects of your planning that are not clear or logical, anything you might have forgotten or simply ways in which your plans could be improved; • give feedback to them about their planning as it is represented in the mindmap they send to you; and » think about the feedback you receive, decide how to respond and record the changes in the final mind-map to be submitted to your e-tutor.

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To edit the mind-map sent to you by your online colleague and record the changes you would like to suggest you should open the map in the 'revision mode', and check

the 'track changes automatically' box. This will allow your online colleague to see your changes clearly highlighted within their original map and they will be able to choose to accept or reject those changes. You can add 'notes' to explain the reasons for changes you suggest. The deadline for completion of your final mind maps is [date].

Dependent resources DR1 Mistakes to avoid in mind-mapping activities: M Avoid long stretches of text on branches - use a few well-chosen keywords instead. m Avoid mono-layouts. Add colours, icons... and use one different colour per branch. « Avoid 'noisy' backgrounds - select something neutral. « Avoid deciding a particular branch is finished too quickly - once you mentally 'close' a branch, your imagination stops being creative in that area, and you may prevent other e-learners from developing the idea with his/her own thinking.

Activity variations/extensions This activity is written assuming the purpose of planning an individual project related to a course topic. The same process could be used for a wide variety of other purposes, for example for note-taking based on individual reading or other 'research', for producing a summary revizing the work covered on a course, or for business purposes such as exploring strategies for a workplace problem, exploring considerations within a decision-making process, etc.

For more information ... Several products are available on the market for mind mapping, offering different levels of features at various prices. The most popular is MindJet MindManager (www.mindjet.com/uk/), often used by professionals since it offers the most complete experience of mind-mapping. Some of the latest versions integrate well the word-processing applications and make converting a Mind Map™ into an outline essay very easily. Other alternatives include the following (in alphabetical order): Axon 2004 - www.petillant.com/article66.html ConceptDraw MindMap - www.conceptdraw.com/en/products/mindmap/main.php Eminec MyMap - www.eminec.com/en Fractal :Edge - www.fractaledge.com HeadCase - www.loanedgenius.com Freemind - free mind-mapping software freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/main_page MindChart - www.avant4u.com

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MyMind (Mac Os) - www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11451 Personal Brain - www.thebrain.com ThinkGraph - www.thinkgraph.com/english/ View Your Mind - www.framasoft.net/article3659.html

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INFORMATION SKILLS RLL4

Searching and finding

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

search effectively on the Internet to locate relevant resources for an identified purpose;

« bookmark links to websites they find useful, so as to return to them easily in the future; and

« reference e-resources accurately in a bibliography.

I Rationale Libraries tend to be very organized places, with catalogues that allow individuals to search for resources on a particular topic and locate books you need for a course. The Internet, on the other hand, contains an enormous amount of information, and unlike books in the library, this information is not stored in any organized fashion whatsoever. It can be very daunting to e-learners when they start to realize just how much information is out there. It is therefore useful to help e-learners to develop skills to help find the information needed and to enable them to search for information effectively and in an organized fashion. They will benefit from an early introduction to strategies for storing and retrieving sites through bookmarking those found useful, and may need guidance on referencing e-resources accurately within their writing. As students move on in their academic studies it will be important to refine these skills.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Web searches

Preparation for the activity

Referencing web resources Interaction Small groups

To prepare for the activity you should: is Identify the level of search and reference skill needed by the learners and the level of skill they are likely to bring to the course. •

needs. This may include guidance on searching and/or on

Synchronous/ asynhcronous

the format to be used for recording the references found within a bibliography and could take the form of material

Context Students needing to learn or improve Internet search skills Students on an academic course

Locate or write guidance material appropriate to these

written specially for the task, web-based guidance or study skills guidance material produced by the institution and targeted to the level/discipline of the course. •

Identify the resource sources that the learners should search and check they have access. Is it enough for them to

Adult returners to learning

consult public websites, using commercial search engines? Should they use particular e-databases and electronic journal holdings? • Organize your e-learners into small groups of approximately three to five learners, deciding who will work with whom, and how large the buddy groups will be. « Choose a topic for each group to research: each group could handle a particular topic or unit of work such that all course topics are addressed. • Identify the deadlines your e-learners will need to meet. •

Prepare the message you will send to your e-learners at the start of the activity, giving instructions and telling each learner which topic has been assigned to them (SMP1).

Stage one - individual activity During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

work individually and follow the instructions you have sent them (SMP1);

•

access and read the information in the guidance material indicated for them; and

•

search for, bookmark and record a selection of e-resources relevant to the topic assigned to them.

You should: • •

be prepared to answer any queries or questions that may arise; remind the e-learners of the deadline, so as to help them complete the task within the allotted timescale; and

•

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send your e-learners the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - individual activity During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

follow the instructions (SMP2) to find out how to record details of e-resources; and

•

put these instructions into practice by creating a record of the e-resources found in stage one of this activity.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should submit their record of e-resources to you by the allotted deadline. You should carry out any checks necessary, and create a summary of points arising to post to the whole group to help them in the future.

Sample message postings SMP1 The Internet contains an enormous mass of information and, unlike books in a library, this information is not stored in any organized fashion whatsoever! Nor can you be sure that all the information you find is worth using. So, if we are to search for information effectively, it is important to be organized in the way we approach it. This task lays the foundation for the reading on your e-learning course as you will build and organize a collection of links that are useful for the subject you are studying. It will be important to develop and use sound search skills so that in the future you will have the best chance of finding the information you need. The topic you are to focus on is: [insert topic here]. You should carry out a search to find five resources relevant to your assigned topic. To do this, follow the advice in 'Finding information from the internet - the basics' (DR1) and [add reference to any other guidance material you wish your e-learners to use]. The references you find should be e-resources and might include public websites, references from government-body websites, CD-ROM material, articles from e-journals, information from electronic databases, etc. As you locate each resource, remember to bookmark the location so that you will be able to go back to it easily in the future. If bookmarking websites is new to you, visit the following website for guidance: [insert URL linking to a website providing guidance pitched at a level appropriate for your e-learners]. Make sure that you complete this stage of the activity by [date].

SMP2 You have collected a variety of resources related to the topic assigned to you. Now is the time to create a clear and accurate record of resources found, so that you can reference the material clearly and correctly when you refer to these resources in your writing. Remember: When you want to refer to information found on a website, it is not enough to simply give the URL of the site. The URL is only an address; it is the person or organization

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that produced the website that is the authority behind the information to be found there, so you must include details of this person or organization within your reference. Websites are not permanent. There is always a danger that a site will go down, or be moved or deleted. For this reason it is conventional that a reference to a website should always include details of the date when you accessed it. You should: Visit the following website to find out how to reference the e-resources you found in stage one of this activity [insert link to a website pitched at a level appropriate to your e-learners' needs]. •Follow the guidance given there to create a record of the e-resources you found that are relevant to your assigned topic. Send this record to your e-tutor by [date].

Dependent resources DR1

Finding information from the Internet - the basics The Internet contains an enormous mass of information and, unlike books in a library, this information is not stored in any organized fashion whatsoever! Nor can you be sure that all the information you find is worth using. So, if we are to search for information effectively, it's important to be organized in the way we approach it. The following steps outline the stages involved in effective Internet searching. Follow the instructions in the order in which they are given. 1 Narrowing down the topic - the first step to successful searching for information on the Internet, as in a library, is to decide what information you are looking for. Start your search by making notes in answer to the following questions: n What general subject area do I want to find out about (e.g. 'learning skills')? n Am I looking for information about any particular aspects of that topic area (e.g. 'writing skills')? D Have I got a particular question in mind (e.g. 'How do I structure an essay?1)? Think about these questions in relation to the topic assigned to you for this task and write your notes here - you will need them in the next step. 2 Identifying key words - most search tools look for information by using key words. n Underline/highlight the words in your notes above that best sum up what you are interested in - these are the words most likely to help you when you are searching on the web. D Add any other words that are similar in meaning and which you could use in a second or third search.

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Activity variations/extensionso» 1. As an extension activity, the skills developed in the course of this task could be consolidated by asking individual learners to produce their own portfolio of resources linked to an individual project or course assignment. 2. Instead of assigning the topics for exploration, tutors could allow learners to choose their own topic or focus for the practice searches. 3. Get groups to work together to compile a checklist of key attributes they expect to see in terms of selection of suitable web-based resources. This will serve as a resource for future activities.

For more information ... The following website offers a range of tutorials providing guidance on bookmarking Internet sites: 'Organizing and finding bookmarks', Montgomery College, Maryland, USA: www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studevgt/onlinsts/Bkmktutorial/ For general guidance in this area: e-Learning Skills, by Alan Clarke (2004) Free online tutorials for making effective use of the Internet especially written for further and higher education curriculum subjects can be found at: www.vts.rdn.ac.uk

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INFORMATION SKILLS RLL5

Fool's gold or the real thing?

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

evaluate websites and other resources according to objective criteria to meet an identified need; and

•

consolidate their evaluative skills through practice and collaboration with others.

I Rationale Whether searching on the Internet or consulting more traditional sources of information, we will frequently find a number of possible sites, books, articles, etc., that may or may not give us the information we need. Clearly some of these sites, etc. will be more useful than others, and as time is usually limited we need to be selective. It is not enough for a book or website to contain information relevant to the topic. We need to be sure that the information is up to date and that the writer or speaker is someone to be trusted and who knows what they are talking about. When using the Internet learners will very often be working on their own and need to rely on their own skills to make decisions as to how useful and trustworthy a particular website is, especially since anyone can publish on the web. This task exploits the opportunities for collaborative work offered by the Internet in order to give your e-learners the chance to discuss the value of different websites with other people and to complete a joint evaluation. This should help them to develop the understanding and skills they will need for their independent effective retrieval of information from the Internet in the future. When used as part of a study skills focus within a course, the requirement to state overtly their evaluation of chosen sites both forces the e-learners to consider aspects of evaluation that they might otherwise forget and enables the e-tutor to identify where e-learners may have problems in relation to key evaluation criteria and provide help and guidance.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Evaluating websites and other e-resources Interaction Individual and small groups /Asynchronous Context k d j f s j of the Internet as a serious information source Studen tsonan academic course Non-traditional adult returners to learning

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: identify a carefully defined, course-related purpose that provides the pivotal focus for the evaluation of websites in

m

the course of the task'!t should relate to a felt need and clearly contribute to required work for the course. It may be relevant to base it on a course assignment, and/or a seminar or discussion topic;

m prepare a description of this purpose that will be clear and accessible to students (SMP1); and m decide a timescale for the task and establish the deadlines for each stage of the task.

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should work individually to: • follow the guidelines provided (SMP1) to find and evaluate websites for the assigned topic and purpose; and m prepare a short evaluation of each site and have this ready by the given deadline. Vow should: • be available to help with any problems and answer any questions and queries; and « remind the e-learners of the deadline for this stage of the activity.

Stage two - small group learning During this stage of the activity You should: « send a message giving instructions for this stage of the activity and the timescales to be met (SMP2). Your students should: • work as a group to share the selection of websites they have each found and the evaluations as to their usefulness and quality; and « from the total selection choose the three sites they all feel are best suited to meet the identified purpose.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your students should send their final selections to you, including in their evaluation clear and accurate referencing and their evaluation of the resources chosen.

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Vow should compile a complete list of the buddy group resources and evaluations and circulate them to each student for use as the reading list to underpin their independent reading through the complete course.

Sample message postings SMP1 Whether searching on the Internet or consulting more traditional sources of information, we will frequently find a number of possible sites, books, articles, etc. that may or may not give us the information we need. Clearly some of these sites, etc., will be more useful than others, and as time is usually limited we need to be selective. It is not enough for a book or website to contain information relevant to the topic. We need to be sure that the information is up to date, and that the writer or speaker is someone to be trusted and who knows what they are talking about. This task helps you to develop the understanding and skills for effective retrieval of information from the Internet and lays the foundation for the set of reading resources to be used through this e-learning course. Working in buddy groups of three or four online colleagues, you will collaborate to build a portfolio of references to e-resources relevant to the wider group of online colleagues on the course. Each group will be responsible for finding material relevant to a particular section of the course, and at the end of the activity the group portfolios will be put together. The collective portfolio created will form the basis for your background reading as you move through the whole course. It will be important to develop and use sound evaluation skills so that the final portfolio of references will be relevant and useful to you and your online colleagues on the course as a whole. It will be important to reference your sources and material clearly and accurately so that others can find and access the material you recommend. The people who you will work with in stage two of this activity are: [insert names here]. The topic your group is to focus on and research is [insert topic here]. In this stage of the activity you will work individually to explore a number of sites on a theme related to this course, and evaluate the usefulness and appropriateness of those sites for the identified purpose:

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1. Use your favourite search engine to find a minimum of six websites that may be useful and appropriate for the topic assigned to your group. 2. Evaluate these sites using the following questions to help you select the two sites you feel are the most effective and useful for the purpose given: D Does the material deal with my chosen topic? n Does it contain the information I need? D Is the information up to date? When was the site last updated? n Does it look as if it is from an authoritative source? How can I tell? n Is it clear and easy to use and understand? D Does it go into the right sort of detail for my needs? 3. Make notes of your views and the evidence/examples to support your judgement and then prepare a written evaluation of these two sites. Your evaluation of each should be no more than 100-200 words and should give your reasons for selecting these sites, drawing on the criteria indicated. 4. Remember - these evaluations should be ready by [date].

SMP2 In Stage 1 of this activity you each made your own selection of websites related to the topic under focus. Your task in Stage 2 is to work with the other members your buddy group to share your selections and choose the overall three best sites related to your assigned topic. Your task: 1. You should send your written evaluation of the two sites you chose to the small group forum. This will let your online colleagues know which websites you have chosen and give them your evaluations explaining why you feel sites are useful. 2. You should read the evaluations sent in by your online colleagues, find the websites and decide whether you agree with the judgements they have made. Working with your online colleagues, you should use the small group forum to discuss all the sites and agree as to the three best sites for the identified topic assigned to your group. 4. Prepare a group evaluation of 300-600 words, giving the sites chosen and the reasons for your choice. Send this to your e-tutor. RememberC m You should make sure that your final evaluation of the resources chosen includes clear and accurate referencing of the websites. m You should complete this activity by [date].

Activity variations/extensions As an ongoing extension to this activity, a whole-group forum could be set up and students asked to send in comments as to how useful and relevant for purpose they found the websites on the student-generated reading list in practice. Critical discussion of the resources would thereby enhance their study on the course and further develop their individual evaluation skills. An alternative extension to this activity might require students to complete an individual reflective evaluation as to the usefulness and relevance of the resources. This reflection could be submitted as part of the assessment for the course. To simplify the activity and to focus specifically on the criteria for website evaluation the tutor could provide the students with a set of pre-selected websites, rather than asking them to undertake their own search. Such a selection should represent a range of websites, of varying quality, all of which are relevant in some way to the identified purpose. The websites chosen should vary in terms of criteria such as: m currency of information; m authority of website source; m degree of detail in the information; •

ease of navigation around the site;

m extent to which the site can be interrogated to find particular information; m relevance to the identified purpose; and m presentation of information.

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Alternatively, the group could be asked to compile their own checklist, amplifying the above checklist, and use it to inform selection of web-based resources for other activities throughout the course of their study.

For more information ... How do I tell good sites from bad?, BBC Webwise, www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/askbruce/articles/browse/goodsites_1.shtml Principles for Evaluating Websites by Stephen Downes, www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/view.cgi?dbs=Article£tkey=1121531748

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INFORMATION SKILLS Using ICT tools for note-taking RLL6 I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m explore ways in which they could use ICT tools to enhance note-taking; » employ strategies that will enable them to exchange notes with their online colleagues; and m develop strategies for effective note-taking from Internet sites and other electronic resources.

I

Rationale

The task aims to enable students to explore the use of a variety of ICT tools, both generic and specialized, that can enhance note taking and which lend themselves in particular to notes from electronic information sources and/or notes for sharing with others. The close focus on note-taking processes should help learners to identify ways in which they could improve their own note-taking skills and provide them with practice towards improvement in these skills. By sharing notes within and between groups of students the individuals involved have an unusual opportunity to learn from each other, to encounter new ways of doing things and to broaden their awareness of the how different software can be used. By leaving the choice of package open to student choice, a range of learner skills is catered for: the IT novice can develop their skills in basic generic packages; the more experienced user can experiment with new software or with novel ways to exploit tools they know in insightful ways. The activity also enables e-learners to explore particular features that tend to be characteristic of note-taking from e-resources. With e-resources, there is a tendency for people to cut and paste huge chunks from the resource into their notes. Details of sources may be lost in the web of hyperlinks followed when surfing the web and learners may find it hard to relocate information or source details from an earlier link that was not noted down at the time. E-learners need to develop skills to avoid these dangers.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus Note-taking ICT tools

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: • Choose a topic and task purpose for the activity. The topic should be related to the field of the e-learning course and

Interaction Individual and small groups Asynchronous Context Study skills courses Students on an academic course Contexts where e-learners need to share notes with online colleagues Non-traditional adult returners to learning

be quite broad, including a number of different angles or sub-topics. • Organize the grouping of the students. Groups should consist of fewer than five learners. « Identify five (one per small group) websites or other e-resources related to the topic. These will form the base resources for the task and the 'raw material 1 to be used for the development of the learners' note-taking skills. •

Identify the hardware and software that students should access for this task. If using generic tools, such as PowerPoint and Word, there should not be too much difficulty, but if suggesting learners use more specialized software tools, such as mind-mapping or dedicated notetaking tools, then you will need to ensure that learners have access to such tools.

To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: « ensure they have access to any particular software or hardware that you have indicated to them is necessary for participation in the activity.

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: m work individually and read the guidelines telling them the resource to access and the things to consider when taking notes (SMP1); « explore the topic and make their individual notes, taking the chance to expand their skills and try out new ideas for using IT tools for note-taking; and « complete their individual notes by the date given. You should: •

be available to help with any problems and answer any questions and queries.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind the e-learners of the deadline for this stage of the activity; and « send each e-learner information about the next stage of the activity and the names of the people they will be working with (SMP2).

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Stage two - small group learning You should: m make sure that each small group understands what they have to do; and • send them further guidance to help them make decisions about the format of their group notes (DR1). Your e-learners should: •

use the small group forum to share their individual notes, compare the different sets of notes and discuss the strategies and tools they have found most useful in note-taking; and

ii work together to draw up a shared set of notes belonging to the whole group; this set of notes will be shared with the other small groups taking this course.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind the e-learners to send their group notes to the whole-group forum by the given deadline; and m invite the e-learners to visit the whole-group forum, look at the notes posted by the other small groups and compare the different note-taking formats used (SMP3).

Sample message postings SMP1 This activity aims to help you explore how a variety of ICT tools can be used for notetaking and help you identify ways in which you could improve your own note-taking skills. You will have the chance to choose the tools you would like to practise and work at your own level - if you are new to using IT you can develop your skills in basic generic packages; if you feel more experienced and confident you can experiment with new software or with novel ways to exploit the tools you already know. You will complete some of the work individually but for much of the task you will be working online with other people and will share your notes online. This will give you the opportunity to learn from each other, to encounter new ways of doing things and to broaden your awareness of how different software can be used for note-taking. Your task at this stage of the activity You should start by working individually. The topic you are going to explore is [insert topic here]. The starting point for your reading and note-taking is [insert details of resource here]. Go to this resource, read what it has to say and explore the topic. You can visit other sites as part of this exploration, but should remember to take notes on key aspects of the information you discover. The notes should be made electronically, so that you can share them with your online colleagues in the next stage of the activity. You should Consider which tools to use for your notes. Typically, you may have experience of using a word-processing package, but perhaps you would like to experiment with the use of PowerPoint or mind-mapping software or even dedicated note-taking software if you have it available.

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a Use this chance to develop new skills and/or broaden your awareness of new ways to work with software you already know and use it to acquire new ways of understanding and capturing the ideas you encounter. As part of the planning of your notes, consider the layout - will a linear format best represent the flow of ideas, or would a more graphic format be better? Decide how much detail to include - your reader needs enough information to follow the ideas, but considerably less than there is in the original. Think about what they are likely to already know about the topic (or not) and let this be your guide. The points in the attached resource will give you some more ideas about taking notes electronically (DR1). The deadline for this stage of the activity is [date]. Try to make sure that you have your individual notes ready by that date. SMP2 At this stage of the activity you will work with your online colleagues in a small group. The members of your group will be [insert names here]. All the members of this group have prepared individual notes about the same topic, using the same resource as their starting point. In this stage of the activity you should use the small group forum to share your individual notes with the other members of your small group and compare them with those written by your group colleagues. Your task is to work together to pool the notes you have, and to discuss the strategies and tools you have found most useful in note taking, and work together to draw up a set of notes belonging to the whole group. This set of notes will be shared with the other small groups taking this course. You will need to: • agree on the key points, supporting information and comments to include in your group notes; m compare the different ways in which the group members have presented their notes; « choose the note-taking format that best reflects the ideas you want to communicate and/or which extends your own range of note-taking strategies and tools; « check that your notes are as clear and transparent as possible - remember that your readers will not have read the original information!; and « check that your sources are clearly referenced - if your points come from different websites visited in exploration from a particular starting-point, have you referenced the individual sources? Would your readers be able to refind this information for themselves if they wanted to go to the source to obtain further details? You may find the accompanying information helpful as you make decisions about the format of your group notes (DR1). Make sure you have completed this stage of the task in time for one member of your group to post the final version of group notes to the whole-group forum by [date]. SMP3

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In this stage of the activity the whole class has the opportunity to see the notes sent in by each of the small virtual groups. As each group has been working on a different

aspect of the topic, you will be able to gain a better understanding of the subject, and they in turn will benefit from your notes. The task has been shared, and many hands make light work!£» You will probably see that different groups have used different formats for their notes, and have experimented with a variety of tools and techniques for note-taking. When you look at the notes sent in by other groups you should not only look at the content of the notes but also pick out examples of good note-taking practice that you yourself could use in the future. If you want to know more about the tools for the notes, you could use the group forum to ask about them.

Dependent resourcesi DR1

Using e-resources - guidance for note-taking In making your notes we suggest that you try out a format of note-taking that is new to you

so as to build up new skills for future use. You can make use of Word, PowerPoint, mind-mapping software or dedicated note-taking software such as Take Note. You should take the chance to use particular software features such as highlighting, colour, numbered lists and unnumbered bullets, use of 'comments' features and inclusion of hyperlinks in order to: « identify and highlight key points - don't just paste in huge chunks from the electronic resource - this will be hard to use later; « indicate the relationship of sub-points, supporting information, examples, etc. to these main key points; « indicate clearly any quotes or other material you have copied directly from the source - if you fail to do this, you run the risk of forgetting which parts of your notes are not in your own words, and could inadvertently plagiarize later by including material in your own work without indicating it as a quote and referencing your source; •

add your own thoughts to notes on resource content; and

•

enable direct links to other documents/resources, etc.

Remember to reference your sources clearly and accurately - if you have followed hyperlinks within the website/e-resource, remember to indicate the source carefully in your notes. If you fail to do this you may not be able to relocate any points gathered from such hyperlinks because you may forget the route originally followed.

For more information ... Note-taking software includes the following: Take Note: www.academixsoft.com/takenote.html [accessed 12 July 2005]

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INFORMATION SKILLS RLL7

This is what we want to know

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

identify a clear purpose and information objectives to inform reading when using a website as a resource for study purposes;

« develop their ability to abstract facts from Internet sites and to follow hyperlinks to track down relevant information; and m collaborate with online colleagues to identify study aims and share information obtained.

I Rationale This activity encourages e-learners to take an active and focused approach when using the Internet as a study resource, just as they may already do when using it for shopping! It is especially targeted at learners returning to study as adults, who are often less skilled as IT users than is sometimes assumed within literature relating to e-learning and who often lack confidence in their ability to access and make effective use of e-resources. In particular, the sheer wealth of information on the web and the number of resources available mean that e-learners need to develop the ability to identify their information objectives and then quickly and efficiently pick out the key information provided. To feel comfortable in the information age they need to develop confidence in their own skills in this area. This activity aims to use the communicative potential of the Internet to engage e-learners in the practice of these skills within a supportive context. The e-learners are able to work with online colleagues to establish learning or information objectives against the background of existing knowledge, to share information gleaned and to identify information gaps that may remain even after consulting web resources.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Information searches

To prepare for the activity you should:

Information skills

•

identify a suitable topic to form the basis for this activity -

Reflection

the ideal topic will be one that your e-learners will know

Interaction ,_ „

something about, but which will provoke questions for , . , ., ... , , . , , which they will need, and want, to seek answers;

Small groups

Synchronous/ asynchronous

m

^'nc' weos'tes tnat are re'ated to Y°ur chosen topic and contain the sort of information that your e-learners are

Context

likely to be looking for; this is not an exact science and it W JH i^ important to accept that the e-learners may not

Study skills courses

.

Students on an academic

,

r.

. ,

. .

immediately find the information they are seeking;

course

* divide your e-learners into small groups of about five; and

Non-traditional adult returners to learning

* identify the timescale for the activity and prepare the instructions for the first stage of the activity (SMP1).

Stage one - individual and small group learning During this stage of the activity You should: « send instructions to your e-learners, indicating the topic they are to focus on (SMP1); m be available to answer any questions the e-learners may have about the activity; and « monitor the small group activity, but do not join in unless you need to keep them on track and help them to reach a list of questions by the deadline set. Youre-learners should: « work individually to reflect on what they already know about the topic given for the task and jot down the things they personally do not know but would like to know; « write some or all of these information objectives as questions and post them to the small group forum for their virtual group; •

discuss the questions posed by the members of the group, identify any they can already answer among themselves by pooling their existing knowledge; and

ii agree on approximately six remaining questions for which they do not know the answers.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should send the instructions for the next stage of the activity, giving details of the website: they could consult to look for answers to their questions (SMP2).

Stage two - small group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « divide the suggested websites among themselves, access the sites and look for answers to the questions identified in the first stage of the activity;

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• share answers found and resolve any discrepancies that emerge; and ii prepare a summary of the information found and any remaining unanswered questions and post this to the whole group forum. You should: » monitor the group activity, and at an appropriate point send instructions for the preparation and posting of group summaries (SMP3).

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should encourage the e-learners to read the summaries posted by other small groups and see whether any remaining questions can be answered within the larger group.

Sample message postings SMP1 The next topic that we are going to explore on this course is [insert topic here]. In exploring this topic, you are going to work with [insert names of other group members here]. You all probably already know something about this topic, but I bet there is no one in our group who knows all there is to know. For example, one thing I've been wondering is [insert sample question here]. When planning to research a topic on the Internet, or from any other information resource, it is always worth reflecting first on the things we do already know about the topic, and trying to identify clearly and precisely the extra information we need, or would like to know. Your task Work individually to reflect on what you already know about this topic and jot down the things you don't know, things that you would like to know. Turn some or all of these information objectives into questions and post them to the small group forum. Read the questions posed by the other members of your virtual group. Are there any that you can already answer? If so, send in the answer - there is no point in hunting for information you already have! At the end of this discussion you should try to agree on a minimum of six remaining questions for which none of you know the answers. (NB other questions will probably come to mind as you discuss those originally posed. That's fine - your final list of questions can include such new questions.) You need to arrive at this final list of questions by [date]. SMP2 Well done! You now have a set of key questions, and this means that your search for information can be both active and focused! Here are some starting points for your search: [insert relevant websites and URLs here].

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Divide these websites among yourselves and decide who will access which of the sites.

You should each go to your allocated website and look for answers to the questions you identified in the first stage of this activity. (If you still have questions of your own that you did not share with the group, you can look for this information, too.) When you find an answer, post it to the small group forum, together with the URL of the website where the information was found. As the information comes in, you will be able to see: m Any questions still lacking answers - ones unanswered by the websites you consulted.1o « Any questions where the answers found are different, and perhaps contradictory. If you have this situation you will need to find strategies to work out which answer might be the right one. Perhaps one answer appears in more than one website? Perhaps one website is more up to date or more 'authoritative' than another? SMP3 Hi everyone. It's 'D-Day' for this activity, time to collect together the information you have found in your searching and prepare a summary to post to the whole group forum Please post your group summary by [date]. If you have any remaining questions that were not answered by the websites you consulted, please post these, too. You may be lucky - perhaps someone in one of the other groups will know the

Activity variations/extensions As an extension to this activity, all e-learners could be asked to carry out a web search for other sites that may contain the information they have failed to find. This could be undertaken still within the small groups or as a whole group task. Within an ongoing course learners could be asked to work individually or in pairs to undertake a similar process for another topic on the course. As a variation, different groups could be assigned different topics and be asked not simply to post a summary of information found but to prepare a presentation on their group topic, which itself could lead to seminar discussions, either face to face or online.

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INFORMATION SKILLS RLL8

Sharing responses to reading

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

reflect on their own personal responses to material they read and articulate the reasons underlying those reactions;

m develop confidence in the validity of their own responses to reading through using the Internet to exchange views and experiences with another e-learner; and m develop their understanding of reading and their skills of critical reflection through articulating their ideas to an online colleague.

I Rationale This activity is particularly appropriate for those e-learners who are returning to learning as adults and who may lack confidence in their skills as learners and who may be hesitant to express their own views, particularly within the online context. They may lack experience in articulating their response to material they read and may need to develop the skills required to support their own ideas and views with reference to their own work or life experiences, or by reference to other reading. This activity uses the communicative power of the Internet to enable e-learners to work in a supportive pair work relationship with an online colleague who works in a similar context but in a different location and who will act as a sounding board and a focus for explaining their own views and illustrating ideas with reference to their own experience. This provides the opportunity for the e-learners to expand their awareness of similarities and differences between different organizations or in differing geographical locations and consider the impact any such differences may have on the views and opinions of people who otherwise work in similar jobs.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Developing reading skills

To prepare for the activity you should:

Critical response to websites

m decide who will work with who and how they should communicate online; « decide which resources each pair should read and ensure

intera Pair work

they have access to these resources;

Synchronous/ asynchronous

» decide timescales and the deadlines for completion of the activity; and

Conmter Distance learning Study skills courses Students on an academic jcj

« send instructions to the e-learners (SMP1).

nmdfjsdfjsklj

returners to learning

j

0 pre pare

m

for the activity your e-learners should:

ma|<e C0 ntact

^

with the person who will be their online

cdksjfklasdjfsdklfjaskl;

• exchange brief information about themselves and their work situation so as to get to know something about the person they will be working with.

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: ii find out which website they are to access by accessing and reading the instructions sent to them (SMP1); « access the website indicated, read the information given and use the worksheet 'Reflections on reading' (DR1) to help them identify some comments they agree with, others they disagree with, and the reasons why; and « complete their notes by the given deadline and keep them for use in the next stage of the activity. You should: « be available to answer any questions the e-learners may have about the activity; and * send the instructions to move each pair on to the next stage of the activity at an appropriate point (SMP2).

Stage two - pair-work learning During this stage of the activity You should: •

make sure that each pair of e-learners understands what they have to do in this stage of the activity; and

« offer help to the e-learners if they need assistance in asking/answering questions. Your e-learners should:

» access the website that their online colleague has written about, and read their opinions;

1

» discuss those opinions by sending comments or questions that ask their online colleague to explain their ideas more clearly, or to further develop the points they make; and • respond to comments or questions received from their online colleague.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: • suggest to each pair of e-learners that they should draw their discussions to a close, complete the final reflection on learning gained from the activity and send it to you by a given date; and m draw up a summary of the learning points recorded by the members of the whole group, being careful to keep the points anonymous.

Sample message postings SMP1 One strategy or skill that is an important element in the learning process is 'reflection'. When we read material either in a book or on the Internet we should not just take the information and views we encounter at face value. In fact, we frequently find that we instinctively know when we agree or disagree with something we read. Sometimes, as we read, experiences from work or from daily life come to mind. We may notice similarities between these experiences and the ideas put forward in reading. Or we may find that our own experiences contradict what someone else has written. These gut reactions are important because they are at the heart of reflection and in particular at the heart of the critical reflection that is expected on formal courses of study. One of the skills we need for study involves making these links between reading and experience and between one piece of reading and another; we need to use these links to develop and defend our own points of view in response to the material we read. This is the skill we are working on in this activity, and in the first stage you will: • work individually; • read the information and ideas found in the following website: [insert details of website here]; « use the worksheet 'Reflection on reading' (DR1) to help you reflect on what you read and make notes to: n identify some of the comments you agree with ... and the reasons why; and n identify some of the comments you disagree with ... and the reasons why; and • make sure you complete your notes by [date] and keep those notes for use in the next stage of the activity. SMP2 In this stage of the activity you are going to work with your online colleague. You will act as a sounding board for them and will read and respond to the notes they send you, and they will do the same for you. You should:

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• Access the website that your online colleague has written about. m Read the points they have written in response to their reading.

it Send two or three comments and questions in response to what they have written to help them explore and explain their views and responses further. You could: n ask them to explain anything they have written that is not clear to you; n let them know where they have expressed things clearly!; D add any experiences of your own that complement what they have written; D add any experiences of your own that contradict what they have written and which present a different point of view; n ask questions; and n give your own views. m When you receive comments and questions from your online colleague, consider them carefully and decide on the best way to respond. This will help you to find ways of expressing your ideas more clearly, add further examples, evidence and arguments to support your point of view, or help you to consider differing ideas and develop a response. No one else needs see the notes you exchange or the questions you ask, but you should take this chance to help each other develop your skills of reflection and improve your ability to explain, and defend, your points of view, and your views and opinions on material you read. • When you have finished the discussion in your pair, complete the reflection box at the end of the worksheet to summarize the learning gained from the activity and the skills you have developed. Send these comments to your e-tutor.

Dependent resources DR1

Reflection on reading After reading the website allocated to you, complete the following, and don't be afraid to use more space than is suggested by the size of the boxes in the original! What did you read? Title: Author: Source (URL): Date when you accessed the website: Which comments did you agree with?

Which comments did you disagree with?

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Why did you agree with them? Consider:

Why did you disagree with them? Consider:

« In what ways does it fit your own experience? • Would it work in your work environment? • Have you seen examples of this?

11 Does it differ from your experience? m Why would it not work in your work environment

What have you learned from this?

Activity variations/extensions The process could be repeated with medium-sized groups to extend the reflection and expose learners to a greater variety of viewpoints. Note: we would suggest groups of no more than six learners for this variation.

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WRITING SKILLS RLL9

Building the plans

I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •t implement strategies and tools to generate ideas and key points for a piece of academic writing; • develop their ability to plan and structure a piece of writing according to key words in essay titles; and m work effectively with others to discuss and plan a particular piece of writing, building on and adding to the ideas of others.

I Rationale Planning an essay or other type of written work tends to be a solitary activity, and one that learners new to academic writing, or returning to learning as adults, find quite daunting. This activity makes the most of the communicative potential offered by the Internet to enable e-learners to work together on a planning task even though they may not be able to meet face to face. They learn from each other and develop their own skills. They realize they are not alone in finding the planning of essays a challenge, and gain confidence from grasping that there is often no one right way to do it. They practice the skills involved in the supportive context of a collaborative group, where all members share ownership and responsibility for the plan. In so doing they develop abilities that they can go on to implement within their individual planning. The asynchronous mode of working that is possible online gives each member of the group the time to undertake the reflection and consideration they may feel they need as a basis for their personal contribution to the planning. As such, the time delay that can be a problem in some online activities is here used to advantage and exploited to promote objective review and revision as the planning task evolves.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Essay planning

To prepare for the activity you should:

Developing writing skills

•

,n ,er^.c '?" , „H Individual and small qroups

°f tr| e particular type of essay you have chosen for this

Asynchronous Context Study skills courses Students on an academic course

Non-traditional adult returners to learning

identify a topic and essay title to form the basis for this activity; « prepare or find guidance material related to the structuring 3 activity;

« divide your e-learners into small groups of three to five; j, prepare Instructions (SMP1) and guidance material on . ... . , ,_._., ,, coming up with ideas (DR1 as example); and *

ensure each group will have access to a small group forum to work in -

Stage one - individual and small group learning During this stage of the activity You should: » send your e-learners clear instructions as to the steps to follow (SMP1); and » send your e-learners guidance material that can help them try out new strategies for coming up with ideas for their writing and to develop their skills (DR1). Your e-learners should: « read and follow your instructions (SMP1) and the advice given in the guidance material on coming up with ideas (DR1); « work individually and use two of these strategies to come up with ideas related to the topic; and •

share their ideas with the other members of their group using the small group forum.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage; and « send instructions to move them on to the small group planning stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - small group learning Your e-learners should: » read and follow your instructions (SMP2) and use the small group forum to: D identify the exact topic and purpose of the writing they have been asked to plan; a map out the main sections or paragraphs of the writing; a use these as headings to group their ideas; n ask questions and discuss the plan and its structure as they go along; and n add more detail to the plan; and

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« send the finished plan to the e-tutor.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage;

« give each group feedback on the plan they have scoped and the ideas contained within the plan; and •

send an overall summary of the key strengths of all the plans received from the groups and the areas that the e-learners need to work on.

Sample message postings SMP1 Throughout your course of study you will be asked to produce pieces of writing for your assignments. If you have not written an essay or report for study before this can be quite a daunting task and something you may not be sure you are capable of. Sometimes it can be hard to get going when faced by an essay title or an assignment asking you to write a report or similar piece. You may lack ideas and feel you 'don't know where to start'. You may not have a clear idea how to structure your ideas and how to go about answering the question set; you may be tempted to simply start at the top of the page and write down everything you know on the topic, which is unfortunately not the best way to go about the task. However, once you have got to grips with a more organized process that can be followed when planning almost any piece of writing you have to do the steps get easier with practice. The following will prove to be useful steps to follow, whatever it is you are required to write: 1. 2. 3. 4.

collecting ideas that may be relevant to the topic; clarifying the task you have been set, or the purpose of your writing; choosing the most important ideas actually to include in your work; and organizing those ideas and roughly planning out the structure of your writing.

In this activity you are going to practise the steps in this process to develop the skills you will need for other writing you have to do. 1. Read the advice given in 'Coming up with ideas' (DR1). 2. Work on your own and use two of these strategies to come up with ideas related to the following topic: [insert topic here]. This is often called brainstorming or 'brain jamming'. 3. Choose two of your ideas that you could share with the other members of your group. 4. Go to your small group forum and read any messages sent in by other students. If no one has already sent in your chosen ideas then send them to the discussion. If your ideas have already been sent in then either choose two more ideas which have not been discussed, or send a reply to one of the existing messages, giving your own views and/or experience in relation to what was said. 5. Continue to read and join in with this discussion so that, as a group, you build up a wide range of ideas and information. 6. The date for completion of this stage of the activity is [date].

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SMP2 For this task you will continue to work in your small group forum and take the opportunity to help each other to develop your ability to plan and structure a piece of writing. We now move to the next stage of the process of producing an effective piece of writing. Once you have brainstormed a range of ideas related to the topic, the next step is to identify exactly what you are being asked to write about, and then to write a plan that will give the structure of the final piece of writing. To do this, you need to bring your ideas and arguments together in a logical and structured way. You should think about what each main section will do in the overall structure. Then you can plan each of these sections in more detail, deciding which ideas or information you will include and how you will organize the points you want to make. You can go into even more detail, and note down examples and references or quotes you will use to support each of the points in your plan. How to write your plan There are many different ways in which to approach this task and organize your plan. You wouldn't usually write your plan out in full sentences, but on the other hand a simple list will probably not show the structure very well. People often use a set of numbered or unnumbered bullet points but you can also use a mind map if that suits you better. Task 1. Use the small group forum and spend time thinking and talking about the writing you have been asked to do: a) Identify the exact topic you are asked to write about - this will help you to reject any ideas that will in fact not be relevant to your writing. b) Identify what you are being asked to 'do' in the writing on this topic. For example, are you asked to 'compare' two different opinions on that topic? Or to explain the reasons for something? Or to argue for one point of view? These questions will help you to identify the overall structure of your writing. 2. Consult any guidance material relating to essays of this type and follow that guidance to discuss what you each feel will be the main sections of your writing, according to the topic and the purpose you have identified. These sections will be the main paragraphs in your writing and you can use them as headings to group your ideas. 3. Look at the ideas you generated in the first stage of this activity. You can each pick out key points that you think are particularly relevant to include and sort these ideas into the different sections you have chosen. Because you are working together to produce a group plan you are all happy with, don't be afraid to say when you disagree with the way someone has organized some of the ideas. You will all learn best by asking questions, and by having to explain your reasons for the decisions you have made. 4. Once you have agreed on the overall plan then you can each add more detail to this plan, adding points and/or information, references, etc. that you feel would support or flesh out your key points.

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When as a group you are happy with your plan one of you should send it to your e-tutor. The final deadline for completion of this activity is [date].

A/8: You do not need to write your actual piece at this stage. You are only writing the plan.

Dependent resources DR1 Coming up with ideas - getting started One of the hardest things about writing an assignment is simply getting started. It's best to start by jotting down a wide selection of ideas related to the topic and purpose of your writing you may not need them all, but you can delete those you don't need later.

Strategies for generating ideas There is no one single strategy for coming up with ideas for a piece of writing. Different people work in different ways, and indeed you may find that you choose to use different strategies for different types of writing: Ideas mapping: •

Some people work well with mind maps. You can do this on paper, or electronically using a mind-mapping package - you can even download free software from the Internet to use for this purpose.

Review of notes from reading/lectures: •

It is often helpful to review your notes from the classes and coursework, and from reading and other private study to find material related to the assignment topic. This can be a helpful way of reminding yourself of what you know about this area, and is a useful way to jot down key points to include, and key resources you could consult.

Random list of key points: « Sometimes the best way to start is to get a large sheet of paper and a pen, and jot down any and all the ideas that come to mind, in a random pattern, scattered over the sheet. At a later point you can start to group and relate the ideas one to another. Web-based research: « A quick initial search on the Internet can be a useful way to start you thinking of ideas. Use a search engine such as Google or Altavista, and surf the web! Talk to others: m The writing of an assignment is often a solitary experience, something you do by yourself. However, generating the initial list of ideas can best be done collaboratively, with the ideas of one person sparking off other ideas in someone else.

To think about Which of these strategies do you use now? Which could you try?

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Activity variations/extensions This activity could be followed up with a discussion in which the learners reflect on the learning they gained from the task, rather than the e-tutor coming up with the summary. This reflection could take the place of an individual piece of writing, or a group online discussion. The natural extension from this activity would be for the learners to actually write the piece they have planned.

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WRITING SKILLS RLL10 Using and abusing tools to improve writing style I Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

identify tools that can be used to improve the accuracy and fluency of writing;

« use such tools appropriately to correct/improve own writing; and « build a personal record of learning gained from using grammar-check tools, etc., demonstrating growing awareness of both the conventions of written English and the limitations involved in using IT tools in this way.

I Rationale This activity is designed to meet the needs of any learners who make repeated errors in their written language and those who are already aware of problems they have in this area and lack confidence in their writing and/or in their ability to use the conventions of written language accurately. The activity alerts e-learners to the existence and use of IT tools that can be employed to check work and improve the accuracy of their writing in areas such as grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, vocabulary choice and spelling. The reflective element of this task also aims to make e-learners aware of the types of mistake they typically make in their work, the benefits and limitations of IT tools they can use to address them, and the need to look carefully at the recommendations made by such tools rather than accept them at face value. Such active engagement in deciding the validity or otherwise of judgements made by IT tools can help consolidate and build understanding and skills of language use for the future. The activity could be used alongside a blended learning or face-to-face course, exploiting the opportunity that online learning offers for the tutor to provide regular directed individual support and guidance for learners concerning both the problems and progress in their writing.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Preparation for the activity

Focus

Developing writing skills

To prepare for the activity you should:

Error-correction

m identify instances where work submitted by individual

Spell check

e-learners contains a significant number of errors of

Grammar check

written language;

Word-processing

jn ^ case Of assessecj wor^ a||ow tnose e-learners the

. .

m

.

Individual

opportunity to review, revise and resubmit that work without any penalties that would normally apply for late submission of work; and

Context jsdfjsdkfjd . . . repeated errors in their written language

senc j

the individual e-learner a message offering them the

chance to run a spelling and grammar check on their work ISMP1).

Study ski IIs courses Students on an academic course Non-traditional adult returners to learning

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: m read your message offering them the chance to review and correct their work (SMP1); » run a spelling and grammar check on their work; and « resubmit their work to you by the identified deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « read and check the resubmitted work; in the case of assessed work, mark the work as if it were the first submission; and « send the e-learner a message inviting them to keep a reflective log of both the corrections they make to their work and the reasons why in some cases they decide not to act on the computer's advice (SMP2).

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « read your message responding to the corrections made to their work and keep a reflective log summarizing the learning gained (SMP2); a review changes made/rejected in their work and keep records as appropriate (DR1); and » carry out a spelling and grammar check as a regular step when doing written work and update their reflection on a reaular basis.

1

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close rou should: « from time to time suggest that your e-learners undertake a review of reflective logs and that they send you a short summary telling you: n how their writing and confidence have improved; and n any concerns they have about their writing.

Sample message postings SMP1 Thanks for sending this work. I really enjoyed reading it and seeing how much you have learned through all the various parts of the activity. You make a number of important points in your assignment but one thing that spoils your work is the number of little mistakes of grammar, spelling and punctuation. So, have a look at the following couple of examples of mistakes you made: [insert two examples of errors here]. Rather than take marks off for mistakes like this I'm happy to give you the chance to go back, improve the work, and resubmit it for a better mark - after all, one of the advantages in using a computer for writing is that you can use some of the software on the computer to help you spot and correct such errors! © it « • «

Go back to the work submitted. Open the file and run a spelling and grammar check on your work. Consider the changes suggested and make those you think are sensible. Do not feel you have to make all the changes that the computer suggests to you - spelling and grammar checks are not infallible, but they can be helpful in making us think about how we write!

When you are happy with the changes you have made to your work, send it back to me - please do so by [date].

SMP2 Congratulations! There were clear improvements to your work after making the spelling and grammar check! I hope that in the future you will always run a check before sending in a piece of work! © This is not just so that you will get a better mark for your work - though that is clearly a benefit you get from making sure your writing is correct. Going through your work in this way will not only help to improve the accuracy of a particular piece of writing but will help you identify the errors you typically make and help you avoid the same problems in the future. Of course, as I said in my last message, the computer is not infallible, and sometimes the suggestions made in a spelling and grammar check are not appropriate for a particular piece of work. As your accuracy and confidence grow you will feel more able to decide when to make changes and when not, and your understanding of the written language will grow. To help with all of this, it is worth keeping a record, or reflective journal, of the corrections you make to your work - the act of recording the changes will help you remember points for the future, and you will be able to look back on the development and improvement in your writing over time. Remember also to keep a record of the

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times when you decide not to act on the computer's advice, and the reasons for your decision (DR1).

Dependent resources DR1 My original wording:

Computer correction:

The reason for the change:

y original wording:

Correction suggested by the computer:

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Activity variations/extensions As described here, the activity is used reactively as a tool to engage e-learners in revisiting, reviewing and correcting errors already made when work is submitted. An alternative approach, similarly intended to encourage e-learners to carry out such review and revision as a regular step taken prior to the submission of work, or the preparation of any piece of writing, is to proactively include such an activity within the teaching on an e-learning course. In this case the e-tutor should identify a particular course focus that would lend itself to such an activity, for example choose a particular assignment which would be suitable as the basis for the activity. The activity could also be undertaken on a pair/group basis. Individuals could work with the same piece of writing, running a grammar/spelling check and then compare the revised versions to see which items they each decided to adopt/reject.

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WRITING SKILS

RLL11

Writing bees

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: » work with others to produce a collaborative piece of writing; • carry out individual research for a particular section of a piece of writing and write the first draft; and m develop skills and understanding of how different sections fit together to form a complete text.

sdrjkjf Writing is too often seen as an individual activity - we might cover the principles with the whole group, but then individuals are on their own to put that theory into practice. In this activity the opportunities for collaboration that the Internet offers are harnessed to give learners the opportunity to overcome the isolation which is so often part of the writing experience. The shared forum allows each person to contribute the draft of a part of the whole group text, to review and revise their work in the light of response from critical friends in the small group and to collaboratively build parts into a coherent whole and to write the introduction and/or conclusion to their complete text. It allows close focus on a number of aspects of writing, opportunities for peer learning and for exploring different approaches to the writing task. This task has been used effectively within an online learning platform where e-learners share texts using a collaborative forum or online portfolio tool. The collaboration in stage two of the activity would also work very well using a wiki, since each e-learner would be able to post their first draft to the wiki, and then, since a wiki allows each participant to edit, delete or modify content that has been placed on the wiki site, each could contribute to the editing of those drafts into one complete text.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Developing writing skills

To prepa re for the activity you should: « take a written assignment for the course and identify or

Interaction Individual and small groups

plantheoutlineofamodelanswer

« break the body of the text down into constituent sections -

Asynchronous

*ne number of sections should relate to the number of

Context Study skills courses

asked to prepare one section;

Students on an academic

people in the small groups since each individual will be takeeachsectioninturnandwriteaseriesofquestions,

course

the answers to which will form the content to be included

Non-traditional adult returners to learning

and hel

P each learner structure the particular paragraph/section they are to write; and

« write an overall introduction which will 'set the scene' for the complete text to be written by the groups and give specific instructions to each group.

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity You should: « send the overall introduction to the activity to the e-learners, including the details specific to each group; « send each e-learner the set of questions that will guide their research and help them structure and draft the section of writing for which they are responsible; and *

be available to deal with any questions or queries your e-learners may have about their task.

Your e-learners should: •

read and follow the instructions in the guidance material (SMP1);

« open and read the message sent to them by email giving the introductory paragraph for their group document and the list of questions relating to their particular section of thai document; and « find the answers to the questions and use the answers to write a draft of their assigned paragraph.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: « send their draft paragraph to the small group forum by the deadline given in the email. You should: « check that the individual e-learners meet the deadline for the posting of their draft paragraphs; and s send the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2). IM!

Stage two - small group learning During this stage of the activity Vbt/r e-/eorners should: • follow the guidelines (SMP2) and use the online forum to work with other members of your small group to put the different draft sections together to form a complete text; « write the conclusion, and review and revise the writing of each section; and •

send the completed document to the e-tutor by the given deadline.

Ybu should: « be available to deal with any questions or queries your e-learners may have about their task.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: » remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of this stage; • give each group feedback on the plan for which they have ideas; and •

send an overall summary of the key strengths of all the plans received from the groups and the areas that the e-learners need to work on.

Sample message postings SMP1 Within this activity learners will work in small groups to produce a collaborative piece of writing. The activity guides you through a series of steps to help you develop your skills of writing individually and through working online with other people, learning from and helping each other. Each person will be assigned a particular section of the complete text to research individually and write in draft. You will then use the online forum to work with other members of your small group to put the different sections together to form a complete text. You will need to think about the links between the different sections (so as to make sure that the writing flows well through the complete text), write the conclusion, and review and revise the writing of the whole, checking consistency of style and the use of the same vocabulary or terms throughout. Here are the names of the people you will be working with on this task: [insert the names of the group members here]. You should use the following small group forum to work in [insert details of the small group forum here]. The document that your group will write is: [Insert an overall description of the document to be written by this particular buddy group]. In this stage of the activity you are each to write the draft of one section of the complete document. No one else in your group is writing this section; your draft text will be your contribution and in stage two the others will help you to revise and improve it, just as you will help them to re-write theirs. Your task now Look in your email. You will find a message giving the introductory paragraph of the document that your group is going to write and a list of questions relating to your section of the group document.

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* «

• •

• Read the introductory paragraph to get a 'flavour' of what the complete document you are going to write will be about. Decide which of you will deal with which topic. Read the instructions for your section carefully. You have a series of questions and if you answer each of these questions in turn the answers will provide you with the 'raw material' of your paragraph. Take these answers and link them together to form a continuous train of thought that flows as one piece of writing. Send your draft paragraph to the group by the deadline given in the email.

SMP2 Well done! You each now have drafts of the paragraphs that will make up the complete group document. You have made an excellent start to the work of writing! In this stage of the activity you will use the online forum to work with the other members of your small group to put the different draft sections together to form a complete text. You will need to make sure that the different sections are linked together and that the writing flows well through the completed text. You can use the small group forum to review and revise the writing of each section, since everyone will be able to see, download and improve the latest version and together build towards the final document. You could arrange certain times when you will all be online at the same time and discuss the document together. Think about: Linking words: phrases like 'on the other hand', 'another aspect of this topic', 'there are three reasons for this' can help to give structure to your writing and help your reader see the links between paragraphs. Link sentences: you will probably find that you need to add a sentence or two to the start of each paragraph to lead on from the paragraph before. Style of writing: the writing will not hold together very well if the style of writing in each paragraph is different. Everyone does have their own writing style, of course, so some differences are natural, but check that the level of formality is roughly the same throughout and see whether you can have certain words recurring throughout the document, since this will help to hold the paragraphs together. The style of writing in the introductory paragraph will help you decide the style for the rest of the document. The conclusion: the conclusion should flow from the ideas within the paragraphs that you have written. When you have redrafted the earlier paragraphs, work together to write the conclusion. The deadline for completion of this work is [date]. Make sure that you send your completed document to your e-tutor by this date.

Activity variations/extensions An alternative would be to set the topic and parameters that you expect the writing to cover, assign the groups and then let the group scope it further, determining sub-topics and assigning names to topics themselves.

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For further information ... Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiWiki [accessed 25 July 2005]

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4

Resources for promoting active approaches to study

Promoting active approaches to study Learning through collaboration

Learner-led learning p. 210

learning p. 227

p. 180

Sharing out the workload

RPAAS6 Learning outcomes - learner choice

p. 180

p. 210

RPAAS2 Piecing the jigsaw

RPAAS7

RPAAS1

Supporting work-based

R PA AS 10 Learning contracts p. 227

RPAAS11

together - web-

Building a collaborative bank

questing

p. 215

p. 185

RPAA58

RPAAS3 Behind the scenes

Online seminar p. 218

p. 190

RPAAS4 Time to think

RPAAS9 Round and round we go

p. 198

p. 222

RPAAS5

The game of spot the difference? p. 205

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A guide on the side ... active support for the mentor-mentee relationship p. 232

RPAAS12

Alone ... yet not alone! p. 236

RPAAS13 Presenting posters p. 242

These resources will complement those in the previous section by providing the e-tutor with a range of activities to facilitate active approaches to study within your particular subject area. You will find tasks where learners work individually to research or explore a given topic, and others using virtual groups to promote collaborative learning. Activities that involve learners in cooperation and collaboration, where all members contribute to each other's learning, include for example online role-play, case-study activities and online debate and 'jigsaw' activities where careful planning and structured tasks promote a sense of positive interdependence towards mutual goals. Learners are encouraged to experience and reflect on the skills similarities with face-to-face activities and the new challenges of collaborating with others through the medium of online communication. Some activities encourage e-learners to take on a key role in helping to design their own learning, inputting to syllabus negotiation, creating shared 'blogs' on the Internet and taking part in online seminars. The section also includes activities particularly targeted to work-based learning scenarios, focusing on strategies for peer support, mentoring and syllabus negotiation which exploit the fact that e-learning enables communication independent of place or time.

See also: RLL3 'Spinning a meaningful web' RLL7 This is what we want to know RLL8 Sharing responses to reading

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learning through collaborations

RPAAS1 •

Sharing out the workload

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m work effectively with others to share out the tasks involved in a collaborative activity equitably; •

manage their own time and workload to meet responsibilities as agreed within the rest of the virtual group;

•

communicate their own learning in a way that is sufficiently clear to enable understanding by others; and

« pool information from a variety of sources, comparing their own experience and learning with that of others.

Rationale This task was originally designed for a course structured around four units, where each unit involves independent tasks exploring key topics through reading, reflection and/or work-based research. Sharing the workload among members of a buddy group has not only helped to make the workload more manageable for each individual but has provided the flexibility to fit the nature of the tasks involved around the particular circumstances of each group member. Some of the work-based research tasks can be undertaken in any work context; others involve quite specific requirements for observation etc. and cannot be completed by all learners. The buddy group approach enables each learner to agree which tasks they will undertake as their share of the group activity and the communication potential of the Internet enables each buddy group member to contribute to the learning of the whole group by sharing resources, notes and reflections on the individual tasks undertaken. Insights gained from the varying perspectives of different work contexts reflected in the group enhances the learning of each individual and through the process of reflection and discussion the learning of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Collaboration

To prepare for the activity you should:

Shared workload

m choose a topic that will form the basis for the activity;

Work-based learning

m identify and write a range of activities that will help the group of e-learners gain a rounded understanding

n erac ion Small groups
ofthetopicunderfocyusby,forexample,exploring

different perspectives and viewpoints on the matter; « organize e-learners into small virtual groups and m

allocate each a small group forum in which to work; p|an tne dead|ines for different stages of the activity; and

» prepare the messages that will give your e-learners the instructions for the different stages of the activity (SMP1, SMP2).

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: accessandreadetheinsturctionssenttothemforthetask(smp1),checkingthatthey

understand the purpose of working in small 'buddy groups'; « follow the instructions to contact the other members of their buddy group and send information about themselves; and ii respond to the messages they themselves receive.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: » check that all buddy groups are on target to complete their initial contact by the given deadline; and « send instructions to them for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - small group and individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « access and read the instructions sent to them for the task (SMP2); ii open the PowerPoint presentation to gain a general overview of the topic they will be exploring in their independent work; » allocate roles among themselves, deciding who will undertake which element of the workload as laid out; « carry out the tasks allocated to them, undertaking: D either research, reading and reflection; or n work-based research; and

ffiQj

ti prepare summaries of their findings and attach these within their buddy group online portfolio by the given deadline. You should: « assist the e-learners in sharing out the workload and allocating tasks in a way that is fair to all; • check that your e-learners understand what is being asked of them and be available to assist with any problems that come up; and •

remind all buddy groups that they should complete their independent work by the given deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « check that individual summaries are submitted within the buddy group portfolios by the given deadline; m move e-learners on to the next stage of the activity/course; they might be asked to: n discuss within their buddy group the issues arising from the different types of independent work for the activity - e.g. is there a mismatch between claims made in reading material and experience/practice in the workplace?; D feed the learning from the range of independent work into written work on the topic; and D engage in discussion with the wider group, or within re-formed buddy groups, where they will draw on learning across the range of independent work.

Sample message postings SMP1 Buddy groups are central to the way that you will work on this particular e-learning course. The expectation is that within these buddy groups you will: • • • •

support each other; share out some of the unit work among yourselves; pool the learning from the activities that you each undertake; and learn from each other and the contribution you each make.

It goes without saying that every individual is expected to pull his or her weight within the groups. The work of one person might sometimes be of a different nature from that of the others, but you should endeavour to make sure everyone contributes to a roughly equal extent. For example, some students may not be based in a context where it is convenient for them to undertake the work-based research; these students should still pull their weight, probably taking on more responsibility for the research, reading and reflection elements of the work, and/or leading and facilitating the group discussion task. Instructions The members of your buddy group are: [insert names here]. Send a message to each of these people giving:

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•% a little bit of information about yourself and your role at work; s a short description of the way you organize your study time for this course do you tend to work in the evenings? Or at weekends?; and • two particular things you are hoping to learn from taking part in this module.

Respond to the messages you recive from the other members of the group. This stage of the activity will run until [date]. SMP2 There are various elements to the work to be done on this activity: background reading should be done by all members of the buddy group; the research, reading and reflection element and the work-based research element of the workload should be shared out among you. Everyone should then report back a summary of his or her learning to the rest of the buddy group. Background reading for all Look at the PowerPoint presentation attached above this task. You will probably find that you cannot open it directly from the Internet. You should download it and save it, and then open it within the PowerPoint program on your local computer. The presentation gives a short general overview of the topic you will explore in the remaining activities. Research, reading and reflection In your group of four, fwo students should do this work. Use the library at college/university, the Internet and/or resources from your place of work to research for information about [insert two to four aspects of the topic under consideration]. Attach a summary of your findings and/or a key summary document within your buddy group portfolio, for the other students to access. Work-based research In your group of four, two students should do this work. • Talk to a range of people at your place of work about their use of [insert reference to relevant documentation] to inform the planning and implementation of their work. Ask to look at the examples of the implementation in practice. • Find out how useful they feel this documentation is when carrying out the planning and implementation and how they feel it could be improved. m On the basis of your explorations, consider the implications for yourselves in your own current and future work. Attach a summary of your findings within your buddy group portfolio, for the other students to access. The deadline for completion of this stage of the activity and submission of summaries to the buddy group portfolio is [date].

Activity variations/extensions A course could involve e-learners in a number of such activities, where at each stage the e-learners are expected to share the workload of tasks out among themselves and learn from feedback to each other. In this case tutors should repeat the steps followed in Stage one of the activity, with a focus on other elements of the course topic, and ensure that the e-learners rotate roles and undertake different elements of the workload at each stage.

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For more information ... For another activity on a similar theme see also: RLL2 Teamwork online - getting the job done on time

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LEARNING THROUGH COLLABORATIONS

RPAAS2

Piecing the jigsaw together - web-questing

Activity contributed by Anamaria Camargo

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « use given Internet sites to find information that will help them explore an issue from a particular perspective which is not their own; m share that information with other members of their virtual group; and ii collaborate within that virtual group to discuss a controversial issue, supporting their arguments with information from their exploration on the web.

•

Rationale A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. (The WebQuest Page http://webquest.sdsu.edu/) This activity exploits the opportunities offered by web-questing to build skills, strategies and confidence for using the Internet as an information source and to develop an understanding of the importance of supporting e-learners1 own views with reference to authorities found in other sources. The web-quest format of the activity is specifically intended to promote understanding of the fact that it is unwise to take one viewpoint on its own and to show that there can be a range of different perspectives on a central issue. The wealth of information on the Internet is exploited to select websites that can demonstrate how differences of circumstances may lead to varied points of view which enable participants to explore the range of standpoints that can result.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor pocus

Preparation for the activity

Web-guests

To prepare for the activity you should:

Information searching

m identify the topic that will form the focus of your web-

Exploring varying points

quest

0 view

of stakeholders have different perspectives and see the

Interaction Individuals and small

'ssue ^rom different points of view. « locate websites that address this topic and reflect these

groups Synchronous/ asynchronus

Context Learners with some experience of online leamina

Distance learning/ Blendedlearning

activity; you should choose a topic where a number

different stakeholder positions. m

decide w hat timescale you have available for the complete activity and how long to allow for each stage

* divide your e-learners into small groups- each group should be large enough for one member to investigate the t0 pj c f rom tne p 0 j n t Of v j ew O f one Of tne stakeholders you have identified. sendanintroductiontotheactivitytoyoure-learnersnad

let them know who else will be in their group and which stakeholder role they personally should focus on (SMP1).

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: » read the overview of the activity (SMP1) to become familiar with what the activity will be •

make contact with other e-learners who will focus on the same stakeholder role.

Stage two - small group learning During this stage of the activity You should: •

send the e-learners a copy of the instructions for stage two of the activity, letting each elearner know which role they personally are to focus on (SMP2).

Your e-learners should: •

follow the instructions (SMP2) to explore the web-quest topic from the perspective of their assigned role.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « send the e-learners a copy of the instructions for stage three of the activity (SMP3) •

make sure each group has access to their own small group forum to discuss the question at the heart of the web-quest.

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Stage three - small group learning Your e-learners should: « follow the instructions (SMP3) and discuss the web-quest topic, each contributing the knowledge gained from their own exploration; and •

work towards a group answer to the question at the heart of the web-quest.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m remind each group that they need to agree on a group answer to the question at the heart of the web-quest by a set deadline; m send the e-learners a copy of the instructions for stage four of the activity (SMP4); and « make sure that all e-learners have access to the whole group forum.

Stage four - whole-group learning Your e-learners should: M follow the instructions (SMP4) and discuss the question at the heart of the web-quest, each contributing the knowledge gained from their own exploration; • write a summary of their group answer to the question at the heart of the web-quest and post this to the whole group forum; and m respond to the answers sent in by other groups, giving their own views.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « send the e-learners a closing statement to round off the web-quest activity (SMP5).

Sample message postings SMP1 Introduction When we use the Internet for our research, very frequently we find information that does not show the complete picture of the subject we are investigating. This is because many people post their personal opinions or only know a sliver of the whole story. In the following web-quest you will use the power of teamwork and the abundant resources on the Internet to learn about [insert chosen web-quest topic here] and try to answer the following question: [Insert key controversial question related to the chosen web-quest topic]. In trying to answer this question, each person on your team will explore the topic from a different perspective and learn one piece of the puzzle. Then you will come together to get a better understanding of the topic. Stage one - background: something for everyone In this web-quest you will be working together with the following people: [for each small group insert a list of their group members]. To start the web-quest, each of you should access the following website and gain a common overview of what research says about this topic in general. [Insert a key website giving an overview of chosen web-quest topic.]

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SMP2 Stage two - Looking deeper: exploring different perspectives In this stage of the activity each member of your group will explore this general topic from the perspective of a different stakeholder and gain a good understanding of the topic from that particular perspective. Instructions 1. You will take Role [insert role here - A, B, C or D]. 2. Read through the websites linked to this role and identify the key information. (If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying/pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.) 3. Note: When making notes, remember to keep a note of the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to prove your point. 4. Remember to focus on the aspects of [insert web-quest topic here] that are most relevant to the role you have been assigned. Role A: use the Internet information linked below to explore the topic from the perspective of Role A. [Insert a selection of three or four websites relevant to Role A.] Role B: use the Internet information linked below to explore the topic from the perspective of Role B. [Insert a selection of three or four websites relevant to Role B.] Role C: use the Internet information linked below to explore the topic from the perspective of Role C. [Insert a selection of three or four websites relevant to Role C.] Role D: use the Internet information linked below to explore the topic from the perspective of Role D. [Insert a selection of three or four websites relevant to Role D.] SMP3 Stage three - Debating, discussing, and reaching consensus Within your group, you have each focused on the issue of [insert web-quest topic] from a different perspective. Now you will work with the other members of your group to discuss the question at the heart of the web-quest: [Insert question related to the chosen web-quest topic as in SMP1.] Each of you will bring expertise gained by focusing on one perspective on the issue. Share that expertise with the other members of the group to produce a group answer. Use information, facts, opinions, your experience, etc., from the websites you explored to answer the question.

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SMP4 Stage four - Inviting broader discussion You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles, and have pooled this knowledge to inform your group discussion. Your next task is to write a summary of your group's opinion as to the answer to the web-quest topic, and to use the whole group forum to: m share that answer with the members of the other small groups; and « give your views on answers put forward by other small groups in the class. 1. Begin your summary with a statement of who you are and what you as a group think is the answer to the question at the heart of the web-quest. 2. Make sure to be specific in both the information (e.g. where you got it from on the web) and the reasoning (i.e. why the information proves your group's point). 3. Send your summary to the whole group forum and respond to at least two of the answers put forward by other small groups in the class.

SMP5 Conclusion Well, isn't it true that when you're looking at one part it's easy to come up with an answer that may not be completely right? It's the same for understanding a topic as broad or complex as [insert web-quest topic]: when you know only part of the picture, you see things only from one perspective. Now you all know a lot more. How can you use what you've learned to see beyond the black and white of this topic and into areas where the boundaries are less easy to distinguish? How does what you have learned impact on your own work?

For more information .... For further information about web-quests see: The WebQuest Page: webquest.sdsu.edu/ Tools for creating a web-quest: Carlos Webquest Course: www.carloswebquestcourse.bravehost.com/webquesttemp.htm SBC Knowledge Ventures:

www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/index.html

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LEARNING THROUGH COLLABORATION

RPAAS3

Behind the scenes ...

Activity contributed by Daniel Vulliamy

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m use the online environment to develop an understanding of a situation or process they are likely to encounter in their professional/vocational or personal life; •

build the skills and experience to help them prepare for such an event;

m use the Internet to collaborate on a set task within a small virtual group; •

work with others to prepare for a role-play of a difficult situation by collecting relevant evidence, building and rehearsing arguments, etc.; and

m develop transferable skills such as the ability to look at problems from other points of view and the time management to meet deadlines in the flexible context of asynchronous online communication.

Rationale In real-life contexts, participation in difficult interactions with others usually involves preparation, especially when the actual interaction is in some way confrontational. Some such 'preparation1 is in effect contextual, in the sense that such interactions do not appear out of the blue - they arise from a specific, often complex, situation, and may in fact be the summation of previous communication among the participants, whether verbally or in writing. Participants will also prepare themselves for a difficult discussion or meeting, preparing and rehearsing arguments in their minds, checking up on facts, anticipating the arguments that will be put forward by the other people, etc. Role-plays can be used in face-to-face classes to engage learners actively in a form of scenariobased learning (Errington 2003), but in the classroom setting there is often insufficient time to take learners through preparatory stages that would simulate the appropriate real-life leadup and preparation. In particular, there may be insufficient time to involve learners in activities that enable them to look at problems from more than one point of view, whereas in practice in building skills for difficult encounters it can be very useful in preparing a case to anticipate the position of the other 'side' or of an external arbitrator. In such circumstances, the resulting role-play activity may be less effective and the deep learning intended for the role-play itself may be reduced. This activity is intended to enable e-tutors to maximize the opportunities offered on a blended learning course by suggesting ways in which the online learning context can be used to get small virtual groups of e-learners to collaborate on the preparation for a role-play to be carried out in a face-to-face class. This activity was originally designed for participants on a trade union course in which they were

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required to put themselves in the union, management and tribunal roles within an employment

tribunal scenario. The online activities enable them to develop understanding and skills thai will be helpful not only in the role-play activity in class, but also within their future work a; trade unionists since employment tribunal procedures and decisions increasingly underpir workplace approaches to disciplinary and grievance problems. The context of the sample messages in this activity is very specific. However the processes are quite easily adapted to allow for a range of role-playing scenarios.

Guidelines for the e-tutor pocus Preparation for role-play

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: • identify the professional/vocational or personal situation

Interaction Small groups , A

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in a face-to-face class and the preparatory activity typical

aSYNCHORONOUS Context Blended learning courses

of such an interaction; • prepare an explanation or summary of the steps involved in tne act j v ity; this is especially important where the chosen situation involves formal processes such as the procedure involved in an employment tribunal from the day of dismissal until the appeal against an unfavourable decision; m prepare instructions to take your e-learners through these stages/activities and ensure your e-learners will have access to any resources they will need during the activity; •

organize your e-learners into small groups reflecting key roles within such a situation and identify any particular roles within such groups; you may wish to allocate such roles to specific individuals, reflecting their learning styles and allowing those who are reluctant to take a prominent role in acting out the role-play to take on an organizing role; and

m make decisions about the deadlines for each stage of the activity, ensuring that the e-learners will be enabled to complete the preparation. In this example the activity is written around the context of an unfair dismissal situation and the processes that are involved in preparation for an employment tribunal.

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Stage one - small group learning: choosing the scenario During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: • •

work in three small groups (A, B and C); access and read the activity opening message (SMP1) and follow the instructions provided; and

•

work in their small group to: n choose the unfair dismissal scenario that will be the basis for the first stage of their small group; and n write the employment tribunal application from the point of view of the employee who has been dismissed within their chosen scenario.

Vow should: m be prepared to respond to queries and questions the individuals or groups may have about the task set; and •

ensure that all groups confirm their choice of scenario by the announced deadline and allocate a scenario to any group failing to meet this deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

send each group the instructions for stage two of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - small group learning: preparing the case During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

work in their small group forum to develop the details of their chosen scenario; in the case of this sample activity this means preparing the Employment Tribunal Claim (SMP2)

m send the Claim to the tutor by the deadline indicated. Vow should: « monitor the group activity and remind them of the deadline they have to meet at this stage of the activity; and N send each group the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP3).

Stage three - small group learning: responding to another case During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

follow the instructions given for this stage of the activity (SMP3) and ensure they understand the procedures to be followed in responding to an Employment Tribunal Claim;

•

read the Employment Tribunal Claim received from another group, and discuss key aspects within their own small group;

•

work together with the other members of their small group to prepare the employer's response to the scenario received from another group following guidance provided; and

« send the response to the tutor by the given deadline. 192

You should: 11 be prepared to respond to queries and questions the individuals or groups may have about the task set; and « forward each response back to the group which first prepared that particular scenario, together with the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP4). Stage four - small group learning: preparation of further evidence (union/employee side) During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: m follow the instructions given for this stage of the activity (SMP4); •

work together in their small group forum to: n allocate roles that each member of the group will take on; and n draft witness statements detailing the key aspects of the case; and

« send the witness statements to the tutor by the given deadline. You should: « be prepared to respond to queries and questions the individuals or groups may have about the task set; •

monitor the group activity to ensure that the preparation is completed by the deadline given; and

•

forward the witness statements to the group that will be taking the employer's role for each particular scenario, together with the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP5).

Stage five - small group learning: preparation of further evidence (employer side) During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

follow the instructions given for this stage of the activity (SMP5); and

•

work together in their small group forum to: n discuss the employee's witness statements; n consider the employer's response to be made to the employment tribunal; and D undertake further preparation for the employment tribunal role-play.

You should: « be prepared to respond to queries and questions the individuals or groups may have about the task set; •

monitor the group activity to ensure that the preparation is completed by the deadline given; and

•

remind each group of the date and place of the face-to-face session when the role-play employment tribunals will take place.

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Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « collect and copy all relevant material needed for the role-play employment tribunals; and m make arrangements for the role-play employment tribunals such that the group which has not prepared the case for either worker or employer will support the tutor as the tribunal for each case scenario.

Sample message postings SMP1 Introduction Employment tribunals and the procedures and decisions involved increasingly underpin workplace approaches to disciplinary and grievance problems. This activity gives you the opportunity to develop skills and understanding relevant to employment tribunals through a role-play in class and preparatory online activities that will involve you in considering the situation from different points of view, collecting relevant evidence and building and rehearsing arguments which you will then put into practice. Both the preparation and actual role-play will involve working in a small group: « you will be in Group [insert A/B/C]; and » the other members of your group will be [insert names]. The spokesperson for your group will be [insert name]. The spokesperson's job is to pass documents and information around the group and to the tutor at appropriate times. It is important that the spokesperson is democratic and efficient. The role-play itself will take place on [date]. The period of preparatory activity will be [insert start and end dates] and will involve X stages, each with specific deadlines. You should expect to participate actively in the group activities through this period. You will need to log on at least twice a week to take part in the group discussions and should expect to also undertake other preparatory work offline. Instructions Make sure you know the key steps of the procedure involved in an employment tribunal from the day of dismissal until the appeal against an unfavourable decision. Consider the scenarios attached (DR1) and choose the one you would like to focus on. Send a message to your small group forum explaining your choice. Discuss the choices expressed by all the members of the group to reach a decision on which you can agree. Send a message to your e-tutor by [date] to confirm your choice.

SMP2 Thank you for your message confirming that you have chosen to focus on the following scenario: [insert summary of scenario here].

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The first step of any employment tribunal process is to draft the 'Claim'. There is a specific format to be followed; guidance material can be obtained from the following website: www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/claim_form_et1 .asp and you will be provided with a sample claim format to use for this activity.

In this stage of the activity, you will prepare the Claim for your chosen scenario, using a form based on the format for official submission of a Claim. Instructions Each member of your group should: » go to www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/claim_form_et1.asp; and m read the guidance material linked there. x

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Working together in the small group forum you should: • discuss key aspects of this $cenario>frarn the point of view of the employee and union within your chosen scenario; » prepare the Claim for your chosen scenario using the format that your tutor will provide; keep to a maximum of 250 words; and m send the Claim to the employment tribunal office (the tutor) by [date]. The tutor will then forward your claim to the group that will act as the employers for your case. Note: The tutor may adjust your claim to keep the case manageable and realistic.

SMP3 Thank you for sending in the Claim for your group's chosen scenario. This will now be sent to another group who will act as the employers for this scenario. In this stage of the activity you yourselves will prepare the employer's response to the Claim prepared by another group. •Instructions . _• Each member of your group should: M read the attached Claim prepared by another group [attach the Claim prepared for another scenario]; and m go to www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/how_to.asp#Respond_to_a_claim and read the guidance material found there. Working together in the small group forum you should: m discuss key aspects of this Claim, from the point of view of the employers for this scenario; « draft the employer's response, for the scenario allocated to your group; and m send the response to the Employment Tribunal Office (the tutor) by [insert deadline here]. The tutor will then forward your response to the group that prepared the original Claim and which will act as the worker's side for this case. Note: The tutor may adjust your response to keep the case manageable and realistic. SMP4 Thank you for sending in the employer's response. This has now been sent to the group who originally prepared the claim for this scenario. In this stage of the activity you yourselves will again work on the scenario you originally chose and for which you prepared the original Employment Tribunal Claim. You will prepare further evidence and information to support and back up the claim you wish to present to the employment tribunal. 195

Instructions Each member of your group should: • read the attached employer's response prepared by another group [attach the employer's response prepared for this scenario]; and * revisit your original claim to refresh your minds as to the details of the case. Working together in the small group forum you should: • allocate roles that each member of the group will take on - these will typically involve: D the dismissed worker; n a witness; and D the union official; • draft witness statements detailing the key aspects of the case; and » send the witness statements to the employment tribunal office (the tutor) by [date]. The tutor will then forward these witness statements to the group that will act as the employer for your case. Note: The tutor may edit the witness statements to ensure realism or practicality before passing them to the other side. SMP5 Thank you for sending the witness statements for your own scenario. These have been forwarded to the group acting as the employer for their consideration. In this stage of the activity you yourselves will receive copies of the witness statements for the scenario for which you are acting as employer, and for which you prepared the employer's response at an earlier stage in the activity. You should consider this evidence and prepare to address such issues within the employment tribunal roleplay on [date]. Instructions Each member of your group should: « read the attached witness statements prepared for this scenario for which you are acting as employers [attach the relevant witness statements]; and • revisit the employer's response you wrote at an earlier stage in the activity to refresh your minds as to the details of the case. Working together in the small group forum you should: * discuss the employee's witness statements; « consider the response to be made to the employment tribunal; and >* undertake further preparation for the employment tribunal role-play on [date].

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Dependent resources DR1 From the following one-sentence scenarios, chose a preferred one for your group and confirm it with the tutor. You may invent your own case or use a real problem, but it must be agreed with the tutor. » A member is dismissed when found leaving the premises with two nearly new pairs of works gloves without the authorization chit required by works rules. » A member is dismissed after being discovered smoking in an area clearly marked as non-smoking. m A member is dismissed for fighting, although s/he appears to have been acting only in self-defence after an unprovoked attack. « A member is dismissed when caught swearing and making sexually suggestive gestures behind a supervisor's back.

Activity variations/extensions This activity is written for the very specific context of an employment tribunal, assuming implementation on a course in the area of Trade Union Studies, law, business etc. It illustrates how the online context provides opportunities for the detailed preparation appropriate for roleplays of such complex work-related scenarios, preparation which is often not possible when working in a purely face-to-face content. Alternative scenarios with a similar confrontational theme might be based around a fictional election, a planning appeal, the development of a new sports complex or other major facility, a competitive bidding situation etc.

For more information ... For information on scenario-based learning see: Developing Scenario-Based Learning, edited by Edward Errington (2003), Dunmore Press For more technical scenario-based learning ideas see: Scenario-Based E-Learning: A step beyond traditional e-learning, by Randall W. Kindley, Learning Circuits: www.learningcircuits.org/2002/may2002/kindley.html For information about the specific context of the scenario in this task see: Employment Tribunals Online, www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/default.asp For another example of a role-play activity in this resource book see: RAAL03 Topical role play

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Time to think: asynchronous text-based conferencing as a debating tool

Activity contributed by Mark A Pegrum

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Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m increase their knowledge of the subject area through reading and discussion prior to the online debate; « use online debating as a tool to improve their ability to construct coherent, rational and effective arguments; ^ improve their ability to make concise but persuasive statements; and f

•

improve their ability to respond to opposing arguments.

Rationale Many learners do not find it easy to take the various ideas they come across in their courses and set readings and integrate them into coherent, persuasive arguments that are effective in an academic/educational context. This activity requires students to work in a group to review past classes and readings, discuss the ideas emerging from them and develop strategies of argumentation to support a particular point of view. Each team then has the opportunity to test out - and refine - its arguments in the course of an actual debate with another team representing an opposing point of view. In the process, students should develop a more sophisticated understanding of the issues at hand. The online context offers particular advantages in this regard. In asynchronous text-based communication, online learners have time to reflect on reading and learning before constructing arguments, and to reflect on the arguments of others before developing their own responses. The online environment thus offers unique opportunities for learners to focus on the nature of effective argument and to develop and improve their own skills in this area, through both individual reflection and collaborative discussion. The skills developed and practised through online debating are of value not only in the online context but in more general educational contexts. Note: The timescales assumed in this activity as written are very tight. The e-tutor will need to have a contingency plan in mind in case there is a problem and one or more team member cannot contribute on time.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor pocus

Preparation for the activity

Reviewing materials Constructing arguments Online debating

To prepare for the activity you shouId: m devise a debating topic related to past coursework; m sort stu(jents into two teams, each of which will take one side of the debate;

Interaction Small group and wholegroup Asynchronous (and optionally synchronous)

* Post a c'ear sel: °^ mstructions explaining to students: D guidelines for the debate (the length of the preparation period, when the debate will start, which team will post first, now On ' 9 *ne other team can take to respond, etc.) (e.g. SMP1 and SMP2); and n how to prepare their team's arguments (e.g. SMP3 and SMP4); H prepare two separate online group-only areas where each team can prepare; and

Context Midmy/endofa course Learners who need

practice constructing academic arguments relating to course material

» prepare a whole group forum where the debate itself will take place. To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: m review notes from past coursework and any readings relevant to the debating topic.

Stage one - planning: small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: • work with fellow team members in their small group forum; « read the topic very carefully and decide exactly what it means; « review notes from past class discussions; • discuss readings and clarify any difficulties; • select useful arguments or examples from class discussions and readings; « identify arguments or examples they think the opposing team may borrow from class discussions or readings; « brainstorm other arguments and examples the team can use to support its side of the debate; « brainstorm other arguments and examples the opposing team might use to support its side of the debate; • organize their ideas/arguments/examples into a coherent list; and • decide how they will respond to ideas/arguments/examples from the opposing team. Vow shou Id: •

monitor the activities of both groups without interfering except if problems arise.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: « decide who will speak first and the order of speakers to follow; and « [in Team A] prepare a written statement to open the debate.

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You should: m ensure that each team has decided on the order of speakers by the end of the preparation period; and • ask Team A to post its initial statement in the whole-group forum.

Stage two - debate: whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: • [in small group forum areas] work with fellow team members to devise a response to the previous posting from the other team; « [in the whole-group forum] post the agreed-upon response by the set deadline; • e-mail the members of the other team to let them know that it is now their turn; and • continue this process until the end of the debate when either: n all students have 'spoken', i.e. posted a response on behalf of their team; or n the time limit (e.g. the end of the week) has been reached. You should: « monitor the debate without interfering except if problems arise; and « ensure that students keep to the regulations concerning: n timing of postings (e.g. within 12 hours of the other team's posting); and n word limit (e.g. 200 words per posting).

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Vow should: • announce that the end of the debate has been reached; and • post a message asking each student to produce a post-debate report for the following week (e.g. SMP5).

Stage three - post-debate report: individual/whole-group learning During this stage of the activity

Youre-learners should: m work individually to produce a post-debate report covering the following points: n a general evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the student's own team's arguments, and aspects that could have been improved; n a general evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition's arguments, and aspects that could have been improved; n which side (if either) could, in the student's opinion, be deemed to have 'won' the debate, and why; and n what the student's 'real' opinion is, and whether this has been influenced in any way by the debate; and m post this report to the joint whole group forum within a week of the end of the debate.

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Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: » read each other's reports; and « comment on each other's reports, saying with which points they agree or disagree, asking questions or making suggestions, and noting whether there are any overall patterns in the reports. ED please cut one line this page

You should: » respond, where appropriate, to students' reports and follow-up comments; and • round off the discussion by posting a final report in which you summarize the key strengths and weaknesses of the debate and make suggestions for future classes, readings, debates and/or other assignments.

Sample message postings SMP1 Debating is an ancient art, reaching back at least to the days of the Greek philosophers. The kind of structured debate to be conducted in the upcoming class is designed to: • increase your knowledge of the subject area through reading and discussion prior to the debate; and • improve your ability to construct coherent, rational and effective arguments. First, you will be assigned to a team on one side of the debate. Team A will defend the topic as it stands; Team B will argue the opposite. You should keep in mind the following two key points: • While you can - and are indeed encouraged to - use concrete examples, remember that the context here is not specific; therefore you will need to argue that your side of the debate is generally true, or true in most contexts. This will improve your ability to argue for general rules or conditions with supporting evidence from particular situations. « Please note that in the context of a debate such as this it is not important which side you 'really' agree with, or whether you 'really' believe that some compromise or middle ground is possible between the two opposing points of view. You must argue for the opinion that is assigned to your team, and you should not be prepared to compromise. This will improve your ability to argue a case in a sustained manner, as well as to deal with opposing arguments. These are key skills in academic writing and speaking. SMP2 The debate, which will take place [insert details of where and when], will be strictly monitored by the e-tutor who will not, however, intervene in the debate itself. Each team should have decided on the order in which its members are to post messages. On [first day of debate], the first speaker from Team A is invited to open the debate with a short statement, which may be prepared in advance but must not exceed 200 words. Once it is posted, the first speaker from Team B must respond within 12 hours (earlier if possible), making a statement of up to 200 words that includes a response to what the first speaker from Team A has said. The second speaker from Team A should then respond, again within 12 hours (ideally sooner). If everyone from the team has made a posting before the end of the week, members will then be able to speak in any order, providing that a posting from Team A is always followed by one from Team B and vice versa. SMP3 Each team will have a private small group forum where members can communicate with each other in order to discuss ideas, plan arguments and develop strategies.

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The team should 'meet' there during the preparation period that begins on [day] at [time] and ends on [day] at [time]. This may consist, for example, of a meeting at a prearranged time in the virtual classroom area, or simply an ongoing series of postings to the small group forum. Of course, the members of your team may well feel that a combination of both will lead to a better team strategy. You might also like to use email to circulate documents to all group members. During the preparation phase, you and your team should do the following: ,'-« « *. •*

read the topic very carefully and decide exactly what it means; review notes from past class discussions; discuss readings and clarify any difficulties; select useful arguments or examples from class discussions and readings; identify arguments or examples you think the opposing team may borrow from class discussions or readings; .1: brainstorm other arguments and examples your team can use to support your side of the debate;

• brainstorm other arguments and examples the opposing team might use to support its side of the debate; • organize your ideas/arguments/examples into a coherent list; and • decide how you will respond to ideas/arguments/examples from the opposing team (some of these responses may already be incorporated into your own list of arguments in a pre-emptive way; you might hold others in reserve and use them only if the relevant arguments are in fact mentioned by the opposition). Finally, the team will need to decide on the order in which members will speak. This can be changed slightly during the course of the week, though each team member should speak at least once. SMP4

During the debate - no matter whose turn is next - team members can continue to make suggestions and help each other construct statements and responses in the small group forum. The following rules apply to turns taken by speakers during the debate: 1. You must always respond to what the previous speaker from the other team has said. 2. If the previous speaker has asked a direct question, you must respond to it. 3. You may also refer to what earlier speakers from the other team have said. 4. You may also refer to, reinforce or add to what speakers on your own team have said. 5. You may, if you wish, ask one direct question of the other team (which the next speaker must answer). 6. You may introduce new points in response to what earlier speakers have said. 7. You may introduce one new point that is not directly related to earlier discussions; this would normally be done at the end of your statement. 8. Although there is no minimum number of words, you must say enough to at least address the previous speaker's comments. 9. You may write a maximum of [number] words per statement.

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Remember that debating is a useful way of developing your ability to communicate in an academic mode - particularly the ability to produce concise but persuasive statements. There is also a strong emphasis on teamwork with personal inflections. Debating can be challenging but it can also be a lot of fun once you get used to it!

SMP5 In the week following the main debate, you should work individually to produce a post-debate report covering the following points: « a general evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of your own team's arguments, and aspects that could have been improved; m a general evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition's arguments, and aspects that could have been improved; « which side (if either) could, in your opinion, be deemed to have 'won' the debate, and why; and M what your 'real' opinion is, and whether this has been influenced in any way by the debate. You should ensure that this is posted as a short report of at least [number] words to the whole group forum within a week of the end of the debate. Having posted your report, you should then read and comment on other students' reports, saying with which points you agree or disagree, asking questions or making suggestions, and noting whether there are any overall patterns in the reports.

Activity variations/extensions 1. Parallel debates In a larger class - one consisting of more than a dozen or so students - it is advisable to run two parallel debates in separate debate group forum areas. This means that the group sizes can be kept down, allowing students to better prepare their arguments in their group-only areas, and the debate itself will not become overly long. At the end, students could be given access to the other debate group forum in order to compare the course taken by each debate.

2. Opening up group forum areas It may be possible, with students' consent, to open up the small group forum areas for general viewing during the post-debate report writing stage. This allows students to see how the other team reacted initially to their arguments and how responses were put together. However, the small group forum areas should only be made public if they do not contain comments that members of the other team might find offensive or confrontational. It is essential that the e-tutor reads through the group postings carefully before suggesting that they are opened up to all. It also needs to be made clear whether students have read-only access or are able to add comments to the other team's discussions. 3. Synchronous online debating It is also possible to conduct an online debate in a synchronous format, using either a threaded discussion forum (which students may need to keep refreshing) or a virtual classroom area. Students still need to be given a period of time to prepare team arguments before the debate itself. Once the debate begins, the time limit for responses should be a matter of minutes (e.g. five minutes) rather than hours, thus vastly increasing the speed of the exchange and decreasing the length of the responses.

iSSS

A debate conducted in a synchronous format has the advantage of requiring a higher degree of preparation on the part of the students, while its main disadvantage is that the overall level of the contributions is likely to be much less sophisticated than in an asynchronous format where students have more time to reflect and compose their responses. Some students react well to real-time pressure, but others may find it rather stressful.

204

LEARNING THOUGH COLLBORATIONS

RPAAS5

The game of spot the difference?

Activity contributed by Patrick Lynch

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • develop the skills needed for information research; • improve their ability to work effectively in teams; m develop their communication skills, particularly with respect to description and classification; and m extend their knowledge and understanding of the topic under focus in the game by encouraging them to explore their perceptions of the selected issues.

•

Rationale The origins of this activity lie in the visual game of 'Spot the difference', which requires the player to identify differences between two similar images. In the ieLls* game online, teams collectively develop a descriptive 'image' of a theme and progress to comparing their 'imag1 with another team's 'image'. The aim is to identify the similarities and any differences between the two descriptions. This activity is about each team creating a list of descriptors and values describing the theme and then comparing those lists against a background of further discussion and working together to develop a shared understanding. The focus of the game can be very varied, allowing the achievement of both generic learning outcomes and outcomes more specific to the topic chosen for the activity. Selection of an appropriate theme is, therefore, central to the required specific learning outcomes of the activity. Because of the flexibility of this approach many different ways of playing and different learning outcomes may be devised. E-learners playing the game will recognize that the classification of the results of comparison as a similarity or difference is a subjective matter, defined by personal or collective ideologies or presuppositions. Playing the game will allow e-learners to test their own presuppositions.

205

Guidelines for the e-tutor FOCUS

Preparation for the activity

Gome

To prepare for the activity you should:

Decision-making

m identify the theme or topic to be discussed, a key question for

Prioritizing

your e-learners to debate and the expected outcomes of the activity;.

interation Whole arouDs Synchronous/ asynchronous

.

* choose the end condition of the game, whether it should be t me cons ' trained, decided by mutual agreement of the teams, or according to a particular condition agreed as signalling the end of the game;

Lontext Secondary schools . n. . Distance learning Blended learnina

m

or g an j ze

the membership of teams and how the teams will

collaborate; * outline your own role, whether you will take part, facilitate, or simply observe; • prepare instructions for the e-learners outlining: n the rules of the game, what is and is not allowed and the extent to which you will let your e-learners decide the rules; n the output your e-learners should produce at the end of the game, for example a magazine article; web pages or reflective journals; and n how the descriptions will be made: the ieUs project used short text-style messages to limit what e-learners could write; this encouraged some care in the formation of descriptions that in turn led to easier comparison between the individual descriptive statements; and •

create a small group forum for each group to use for team discussions and a shared group forum for each pair of teams/team leaders to exchange descriptions and clarify the meaning of those descriptions.

To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: •

work individually to conduct some initial reading or research around the theme or topic chosen for the activity.

Stage one - small group learning: initial description During this stage of the activity You should: » introduce the activity to your e-learners and indicate the deadline for completion of this stage of the activity (SMP1); and •

make resources available to your e-learners as identified during your preparation.

Your e-learners should: •

create their first description of the theme using short, one-line descriptors; short descriptors force e-learners to choose words carefully, showing an understanding of the

HSi

theme, but also a more precise definition for comparison.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: » share their completed description with the other team; this would normally be through a message from the team leader in the shared group forum. You should: » ensure both teams have made their description available to each other by the deadline agreed; and m send the teams the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - small group learning: exchanging and comparing lists During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: • read and follow the instructions for this stage of the activity (SMP2); • work together in their team to consider the description of the other team, compare that description with their own, and review their own first list; m prepare questions that they would like to ask the other team about their list; and « share these questions and the revised list with the other team by the given deadline. You should: • be available to help with any problems and answer any questions about the game; and m send the teams the instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP3).

Stage three - small group learning: reaching agreement During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should work in their teams to: m consider the revised lists created by the other team and respond to any questions and comments they have sent; « review their own description, make further revisions and send comments and questions to the other team; » share the findings of these discussions with the other group using the shared group forum; and • repeat the steps in this and the previous stage until final agreement is made on what is the same and what is different about this topic and (possibly) until a shared list of descriptors is created. You should: m ensure teams progress with the steps and that they do share their progress with each other; m observe that descriptions are converging rather than diverging; • assist when necessary in ensuring that the language used in the descriptors is understood; and • ensure descriptors are written in a comparable manner. Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-/eorners should: « arrive at a list of descriptors, agreed by the two teams; the list should clearly indicate similarities and differences (and possibly undecided items).

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You should: • close down this stage of the activity; and * progress the e-learners on to any extension activity you have designed for the game.

Sample message postings SMP1 Hi, welcome to the ieUs game, which is a bit like the visual game of 'Spot the difference in which you have to identify differences between two similar pictures. The ieUs game is a game of two teams. The members of each team work together to develop a description or 'picture' of a particular topic or theme, creating a list of descriptors and values describing the theme. They then compare this 'image' (or list) with that ted by another team. The ultimate goal is to identify the similarities and any differences between the two descriptions. The other members of your team will be: [insert names here]. As you know, the topic to be explored in this particular game is [insert topic here]. You have each done some individual reading about this topic. Your task now is to share your ideas and thoughts and develop a joint understanding of the topic within your group. You should work together in your small group forum to create an initial list describing this topic. The list should be written using short, one-line descriptors. Your e-tutor will be in touch to direct you to resources you can use to support you in exploring this topic. The deadline for completing this stage of the activity is [date]. SMP2 Congratulations! You have successfully completed your group description of the topic chosen for this game! You should now consider the description made by the other team playing the game and compare that description with your own: • • « •

identify areas where the two descriptors appear to match; identify any terms that are unknown or ambiguous; identify any descriptors that do not appear to match; and conduct further research as necessary.

In the light of these discussions, you should: • review your initial description and make any changes to your list; • prepare questions that you would like to ask the other team about their list; and « share these questions and your revised list with the other team using the shared group forum. The deadline for completing this stage of the activity is [date]. SMP3 Hi again.

208

Both teams have now revised their lists describing the topic for this game. You should work with the other members of your team and:

consider the other team's questions and comments; respond to any queries they send you; review their description and send them comments and questions; review your own list and make any changes; and •- share the findings of these discussions with the other group using the shared group forum. You should repeat the steps described in SMP2 and SMP3 until final agreement is made on what is the same and what is different about this topic and (possibly) until you have created a shared list of descriptors.

Activity variations/extensions Various aspects of the organization of the game can be changed as the e-learners become more familiar with what is expected of them, or because you want to create, or adapt to, a different ethos of working within your course. The composition of the teams can be altered to suit the needs of the activity and the precise membership of teams can be self-selecting. The role of the e-tutor does not have to simply be one of facilitation and organization - you can take part in the game as a participant and/or play devil's advocate in group discussions. Ir is often found to be more efficient for teams to collaborate via ateam leader who acts as spokesperson for the team. Using team leaders can aid communication between teams since too many e-learners trying to exchange ideas at once can slow the process down and may even cause divergence from an agreement. The theme or topic chosen for the activity can cover social, literary, political, geographical, musical, art or cultural issues and the stimulus used for a game can itself take many forms, for example using different media such as text, image, audio or video as the theme. A wide range of 'outputs' or extension activities can be chosen as the end point for a game and a key issue in identifying specific outputs for a particular game is how to ensure that your e-learners reflect on the learning that the activity enabled. Presentations have the advantage that e-learners need to review their learning and reformulate it to transmit to others. In a blended learning context these presentations might be in the form of posters, magazine articles, web pages or presentation to peers, etc. You can also include a reflective activity at the end outlining what has changed in your e-learners' opinions as a result of taking part in the activity.

For more information ... For more information about the European Socrates/Minerva-funded leLls project see: http://ieus.cti.gr/content_by_cat.asp?Contentld=60 [accessed 12 July 2005]

Note * Level 7 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland set out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2001), www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI/defaultasp

••• fill

learner-eld learning

RPAAS6 •

Learning outcomes - learner choice

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: ^ explore some of the key issues related to the broad content area of the course; *. identify their personal preferences for topics to be covered in the course; and ••* identify personal learning outcomes for each of the identified preferences.

•

Rationale This activity aims to exploit the opportunities that the Internet offers for learner-led learning and the change in role relationships within the online learning setting. The e-tutor sets up a structure to both enable e-learners to determine the focus and content of their own course and to provide guidelines to support them in activity that might well be new to them. It assumes a course structure where broad intended learning outcomes retain sufficient flexibility for learners to exercise choice over the specific topics that they focus on within the subject area. This activity is particularly appropriate as the start to a course involving learner-centred learning, involving independent exploration of the identified topics and group discussion either online or face to face. This activity has been successfully used as a precursor to a course comprising a series of online seminars (see RPAAS8 Online seminar), but it could also be used within a blended-learning collaborative-learning context.

210

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Negotiated syllabus Learner-led learning Identifying learning

To prepare for the activity you should: m identify the overall structure for the course and the total number of different topics to be identified by the group;

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• find an opening text that outlines the range of possible

,. ,. Interaction

aspects the e-learners could consider within the broad ^

Individual and whole-

t°Plc area '<

group work Asynchronous Context

« identify one or two key websites and key articles/chapters related to the overall topic area; and m decide the dates for each stage of the course.

Start of a course Adult learners Professional, academic or vocational programmes Experienced learners

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: * access the instructions (SMP1) and follow the steps outlined to: D gain an overview of the issues related to the broad content area of the course; and n identify their own interests and priorities. You should:

m be available to address any queries or questions that may arise. Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of their individual templates and provide instructions for the next stage of the activity (SMP2). Your e-learners should:

» complete their task template identifying their five personal preferences; and * send a copy of their completed task template to the group forum called Independent study/negotiation.

Stage two - whole-group learning Your e-learners should:

* interact with their online colleagues to arrive at the negotiated syllabus. You should:

m guide and facilitate the process of negotiation; and m remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of the syllabus negotiation.

211

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m summarize the discussion that has taken place during the negotiation process; « draw up a list of the topics arising from this negotiation; and 9 identify the topics for at least the first two units of the course.

Sample message postings The example messages are taken from a course for teachers, focusing on assessment. They would need to be adapted for other courses and contexts.

SMP1 Introduction [Opening paragraph outlining the range of aspects that fall within the broad topic area.] A common view of the nature of language learning and the work of second language teachers is that the primary concerns of language teachers lie with the process of instruction itself ... Yet, for many teachers, decisions related to the assessment of student learning are an equally important part of their work. Such decisions relate to a wide spectrum of issues, including assigning grades to students, evaluating the suitability of textbooks, assigning students to an appropriate class in a language programme, and deciding on the design and content of classroom tests. In order to carry out these tasks, teachers need more than access to different assessment techniques and instruments; they need an understanding of the nature and purposes of evaluation, procedures for collecting and interpreting different kinds of information about students and student learning, and the ability to make appropriate decisions about instruction and instructional plans that can have a significant impact on students. (Genesee and Upshur 1996, xiii) During the period of this course we cannot cover every aspect or issue relevant to the topic area of the course. Consequently the content for this course is to be negotiated. In other words you, the online learners, are going to negotiate which topics you would like to explore and discuss in the subsequent [5] units of this course. Independent study and background research This first unit is intended as a guide through the process of negotiating the content for this course. In order to do this, you should familiarize yourself with some of the key issues relevant to the topic area and begin to identify your own learning needs. First, you should explore [insert details of a key website related to the topic area]. In familiarizing yourself with and exploring this site you should aim to You should also read [insert details of key articles/chapters related to the topic area]. Identification of your personal learning needs 212

The task template (DR1) is intended as a guide to support the negotiation process of the content in this course.

You should use this task template to: in record your five personal preferences for topics to be covered in this course; and • identify your personal learning outcomes for each of the five identified topics. In stage two you will also use it to negotiate the content for this course with your online colleagues. To complete this task you should now: m download the task template attached above; • follow the instructions carefully; and m consider your personal time management carefully in order to meet the identified deadlines. SMP2 Once you have identified your five personal preferences you should then send a copy of your completed task template to the group forum area called Independent study/negotiation. Your task will then be to: m read the completed task templates of your online colleagues; » consider whether or not you would make any changes/additions to your own template; and • negotiate with your online colleagues the content of this course. ^4^>r^»v^

Dependent resources DR1

Task one - independent study and background research Instructions You should use this task template to: « record your five personal preferences for topics to be covered in this course; and • identify your personal learning outcomes for each of the five identified topics. In stage two you will also use it to negotiate the content for this course with your online colleagues. You should aim to complete this task template by [date]. Note: It is not expected that a//five topics and learning outcomes will be negotiated and detailed by the end of this negotiation period. Inevitably, as we work through this course, conducting our own independent study and exploration, and as we take part in the specified discussion periods of the workshops, we may want to review our decisions on content and learning outcomes. This is all part of the process of negotiating the content of this course and we should be prepared to accept this as given. It is your course and you have a say in what we cover. This said we should aim to have at least the first two topics identified and learning outcomes detailed by [date].

WyH

Task Template Topics in order of preference

Learning outcomes

My first topic of choice for this course would be ...

By the end of this topic I would like to be able to ...

My second topic of choice for this course would be ...

By the end of this topic I would like to be able to ...

My third topic of choice for this course would be ...

By the end of this topic I would like to be able to ...

My fourth topic of choice for this course would be ...

By the end of this topic I would like to be able to ...

My fifth topic of choice for this course would be ...

By the end of this topic I would like to be able to ...

Activity variations/extensions The seminar/workshop element of this activity could be tutor led, or students within the group could be identified to lead or facilitate the discussion on particular topics. The activity could be used within a course involving problem-based learning, where the e-learners might be involved in negotiation of the different aspects of a problem that would have to be explored with the aim of identifying possible solutions or strategies. The negotiation process could also be used on a more individual basis when allowing e-learners to identify topics of personal interest that will be the focus of their individual independent learning, perhaps towards the production of a series of written discussion papers. Since part of the learning aims of this particular activity concern the actual process of negotiating the syllabus, possible extension activities would include asking the e-learners to write a reflection on the process of negotiating the content for their course, including consideration of how they ffil

personally gained from the process.

LEARNER-LED LEARNINGG

RPAAS7 •

Building a collaborative bank

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: » create a group learning resource bank directly relevant to the course they are following; * take ownership of their own learning and become subject matter experts; and * develop diverse perspectives on a topic of their own choice, both within andoutside of the classroom.

•

Rationale This activity encourages learners to create their own shared resource bank that both belongs to, and can be used by, all the members of the group involved. A key feature of this activity is the focus on collaborative learning and knowledge construction directed entirely by the learner group itself and the potential sharing of resources not only between the specified learner group but also between different learner groups. The aims of the activity can be achieved using a 'blog' and, depending on the size of the group, this activity may involve one collaborative resource bank created by the whole group or several different blogs developed by a number of small groups. Blogs are an increasingly popular phenomenon in the online world of communication and personal expression. Often associated simply with collections of websites, blogs can also be online journals that reflect the personality of the author of the blog and typically include a mixture of diary, a bookmarked list of websites and interactivity, allowing contributions by others. Blogs are usually intended for public consumption and are updated regularly, often on a daily basis. Blogs are providing tutors and learners with the freedom and informality of self-expression previously unknown in academic learning. The four key benefits of blogging, cited by Ferdig and Trammell (2004), are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4.

The use of blogs helps learners become subject-matter experts. The use of blogs increases learner interest and ownership in learning. The use of blogs gives learners legitimate chances to participate. The use of blogs provides opportunities for diverse perspectives, both within and outside of the classroom.

The blog sits outside of the course content and assessment processes and represents informal, social learning that has a direct impact on the formal learning requirements of the course. This activity is particularly appropriate in circumstances where there is not a virtual learning environment to support the online course. It also provides an appropriate activity for blended learning in which the majority of course content is delivered face to face.

215

Guidelines for the e-tutor FOCUS

Shoring of resources

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should:

Knowledge construction

Interaction 5mo// groups/whole group Asynchronous

m decide which blogging software you are going to recommend to your learners; and * send a message to your learners explaining r 3 the purpose of the collaborative resource bank and associated blog (SMP1).

Context Academic courses Teenagers/adult learners Online/blended learning courses

Stage one - group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

during the course of their exploration of the topic area, search for relevant resources pertinent to the particular theme and/or perspective chosen for the resource bank;

m populate their blogs with resources and reflective comment; and « explore the resources posted to the resource bank by other e-learners. You should: m monitor learner activity. If you do not have access to the blog you may need to prompt learners regularly to work on the group resource bank. You may want to ask them for regular updates on how they are getting on.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: « provide you with access to their blog [optional]; and « provide the other learners on the course with access to their blog [optional + if more than one resource bank per cohort].

Sample message postings SMP1 Blogs are an increasingly popular phenomenon in the online world of communication and personal expression and are often associated with personal diaries and online journals. They are usually intended for public consumption and are updated regularly, often on a daily basis.

PHI

Blogs are in fact websites but the strength of current tools is that they allow the individual to instantly publish to a website. They are usually quite straightforward to use and take a matter of seconds to set up. As a result of their relative simplicity and potential for collaborative learning and sharing of resources and ideas, blogs can be an extremely useful tool for you to store your favourite resources and share

them with your online colleagues. They can also provide an excellent means through which you can regularly reflect upon your learning and progress through this course. As part of this course you are going to produce a group resource bank using a learning blog. Your group blog has been created at this address [specific details will vary according to the software used]. This blog will represent a collaborative learning resource that you will individually populate with resources and links you consult and find relevant and appropriate to the course. You will thus be sharing resources with each other and over the course of this module you will have access to a dynamic resource created by you and your online peers. You can also use your blog to reflect upon your learning, your progress, and your learning needs in the form of regular comment and analysis. It should be remembered that blogs are a way of allowing freedom of expression and a chance for individuals or groups to publish to a wide audience. The content of most such sites is therefore likely to be subjective and not necessarily authoritative. This does not negate the intrinsic value of a blog site but should be taken into consideration when viewing a blog. Blogs can be great fun as a means of facilitating collaborative learning.

Activity variations/extensions For an even greater degree of collaboration, this activity could be implemented using a wiki. The term 'WiKi?' is an abbreviation for 'What I Know Is1 and is a concept and tool that is being increasingly widely used in collaborative networks. A wiki is very similar to a blog, both in terms of the structure of the website and the underlying principle. However, the added feature of a wiki is that it allows any of the participants to edit, delete or modify content that was created in the wiki by any of the other members. This offers opportunities for collaborative working that are not present in a blog since a blog allows many people to contribute to a group blog, but not to make any changes to material that others have posted.

For more information ... For more information on blogs see: Blog definition: www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/blog/ Definition of a wiki: www.google.co.uk/search?hl=enEtlr=Etoi=defmore8tq=define:Wiki Free web-hosting sites for blogs: Blogsome: www.blogsome.com/ Blogger: www.blogger.com/start 'Content Delivery in the Blogosphere1, by Richard E Ferdig and Kaye D Trammell, Technological Horizons in Education, www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/articleprintversion.cfm ?aid=4677 For more information on wikis see: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiWiki [accessed 25 July 2005] 217

LEARNER-LED L;EARNING RPAAS8 Online seminar

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: » work independently to explore a given topic in preparation for discussion with their peers; m identify key issues of a topic that are relevant to particular given learning outcomes and to their own individual context or interests; • contribute actively to online discussion of a topic that they have explored independently and bring points from their individual work into the group forum; and m find and share resources that are relevant not only to a given topic area, but also to particular learning outcomes.

•

Rationale This activity exploits the flexibility of online working to vary the learning activity for learners, with a period of independent private study feeding into collaborative discussion within an online seminar. This combination of individual and group work ensures that learners have the opportunity to prepare for the online discussion and thereby contribute more effectively to the seminar debate once it starts. However the online collaboration is not restricted to the period of the online seminar itself. The online context provides e-learners with the opportunity to share with others very easily and the activity exploits this by encouraging them to exchange useful resources with each other even during the period of independent and individual learning.

218

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Individual research

To prepare for the activity you should:

Online seminar skills

m identify an appropriate topic for the online seminar

Finding and sharing resources

and the learning outcomes you hope the e-learners will achieve;

Interaction

d e c i d d e s t a k j j k d k j k f d k s a

individualandsmallgroups

and the actual online seminar;

Synchronous/asynchronous

• suggest appropriate website(s) and/or other resource Context Students on an academic course Experienced online learners

material that would be a useful starting point for your e-learners' independent study of the topic; and sendinstructionstoyourelerarnersto

information (SMP1).

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

read and follow the instructions given to them and note the deadlines for each stage of the activity (SMP1);

« access the resource(s) suggested as a starting point for their independent study of the topic; •

explore these and other resources to extend and deepen their understanding of the topic and prepare for the online seminar discussion;

•

make a note of the key issues of personal interest that they would like to explore further in the online seminar; and

•

share resources they find useful during their exploration of the topic for the online seminar.

Yo u should: « be available to address any questions or provide support as required; and •

continue to suggest additional resources related to the online seminar topic that the e-learners may find useful and encourage them to do the same.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: • remind the e-learners of the deadline for completion of the independent exploration of the topic; and •

send the e-learners information about the online seminar (SMP2).

Stage two - whole-group learning Your e-learners should: •

log into the online seminar on a regular basis (for example three times a week) and be prepared to join actively in discussion, posting a message on each of their log-in occasions; they might choose to: n start a new discussion thread; n continue an existing discussion thread; or n ask for clarification, etc.

QQ

You should: « initiate the discussion, perhaps with a question or controversial statement that will provoke a response from the e-learners and help to get the discussion under way; » facilitate the ongoing discussion, and summarize key points and highlight areas of agreement within the discussion, acknowledging the e-learners making contributions; m bring the discussion back on to topic before it strays too far from the original topic; and « draw attention to the development of ideas and to any gaps left unexplored and open up new avenues for discussion (Plumpton 6).

Sample message postings SMP1 Aims and outcomes By the end of this task you should have: a identified and explored the relevant resources required to achieve the identified learning outcomes for this online seminar; » identified the key issues in relation to the identified topic and learning outcomes for this online seminar; and m identified the key issues that you personally would like to explore further during the period of this online seminar. You have ten days for independent study and background research before the start of the seminar on [date]. 1. Starting point A good starting point for your research is: [key website related to the topic area]. 2. Focused independent study and background research As you explore this resource, try to remain focused on the learning outcomes for this online seminar. Remember: by the end of this online seminar you should be able to: [insert unit learning outcomes here]. 3. Identifying the issues As you study independently and conduct your background exploration of the topic, you should make a note of the key issues that you personally would like to explore further in the online seminar which starts on [date]. Consider the issues relevant to the identified learning outcomes for this online seminar and also those issues that are relevant to your personal and/or professional context. 4. Working as a team - sharing resources To increase the opportunities for collaborative learning, you are encouraged to work as a team to share resources you find useful during your exploration of the topic for the online seminar. I have created a group forum called Resources where I will be posting additional resources over the next ten days. If and when you find resources you find useful in exploring this topic, you too should post them here. 220

SMP2 Aims and outcomes By7 the end of this task you should have: • taken an active part in the seminar; « explored the key issues relevant to the identified topic and learning outcomes for this unit of the course; and « explored the key issues relevant to the identified topic and your personal professional context. Seminar period The seminar period for this unit starts on [date] and closes on [date]. During this period you will be engaged in active discussion exploring the relevant issues identified for this unit and its learning outcomes. You should aim to log in at least three times a week and be prepared to post a message each time you log in. Your message may for example start a new discussion thread, continue an existing discussion thread or ask for clarification.

Activity variations/extensions 1. This activity is also well suited for use in blended learning contexts where the preparation is carried out online, much as described above, but where the actual seminar would take place on a face-to-face basis. 2. If a group includes e-learners who tend to lack confidence in the value of their contributions online, the e-tutor could provide different e-learners with different resource material and ask each to make contributions drawing on the material consulted. This works especially well if the resources are chosen to reflect different viewpoints or perspectives on a central issue or topic.

For more information ... This activity emphasizes the creation of a virtual learning community. See: Virtual Learning Communities: A Guide for Practitioners, by Dina Lewis and Barbara Allan (2005). For online seminar skills see: How students can make conferencing work, by B. Plumpton www.open.ac.uk/science/env-web/conference/Howstudentscanmakeconferencingwork.pdf For activities focusing on skills needed for effective implementation of this activity see: RLL4 Searching and finding RLL5 Fool's gold or the real thing? RPAAS2 Piecing the jigsaw together - web-questing

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learnerledlearning

RPAAS9 •

Round and round we go

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m develop the time and work management skills that are especially important in the context of e-learning courses; » undertake guided personal research with support from the e-tutor at regular intervals through the course of the activity; and

• learn to take an iterative approach to learning rather than simply moving through the module in a linear fashion.

•

Rationale This task exploits the fact that online learning allows the e-tutor to create the opportunity for individual learning in the form of guided personal research and to provide regular support directly in relation to that learning. This support on work already undertaken simultaneously

moves the learner forward and prompts them to revisit areas and topics in greater depth. The way that the activity is set up is intended to encourage the learner to take an iterative approach to their learning rather than to simply move through the module in a linear fashion. The learner takes responsibility for structuring the timescale of their learning - this reflects the fact that learners may find they have periods when they can do a lot of work, and others (for a variety of reasons) when their studies will move more slowly. The flexible activity structure allows the e-learner to fit in around this while still receiving support from the e-tutor. The activity thus\ makes use of the particular features of asynchronous Internet-supported learning.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Supported independent learning

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m identify a topic related to your course structure that will

Guided research

enable the e-learners to approach the subject from

Cyclical learning

different angles and obtain information from a variety of

Interaction Individual

sources;

* prepare instructions and a task template that will both

Asynchronous

guide them through the learning process and help them to structure the information and ideas gained from the

Context

Learners new to

independent learning and working on projects

exploration of the issue; * P lan the structure for your own role in supporting the e-learners; identify how often you will ask to see the

Students on an academic

e-learner's work and how you will keep records of feedback,

course

etc., to inform the times when you will revisit the work of each e _ )earner You will want to have clear but simple

Distance learning

records showing: n what had been achieved when you last looked at the work; and n the general quality of the work and any particular strengths and/or weaknesses that you need to bear in mind in future guidance and support for that e-learner; and •

areas for further development and/or exploration to take the e-learner forward.

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « access and read through the instructions for the task and gain an overview of the work they will need to do; « plan the timescale of how they hope to complete the work by the given deadline; and « make the work accessible to their e-tutor at regular intervals when asked to do so. You should: « make sure that each learner has received and understood the instructions; « contact the e-learners at regular intervals to have a look at their portfolio of work, and provide guidance and support; and « support the e-learners in ensuring that their pattern and pace of work will enable them to complete the work by the given deadline. Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m remind your e-learners of the deadline for final submission of the work completed within the activity;

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« ensure that you receive and evaluate the completed work; and •

provide the e-learners with final feedback on the work, their achievement, and an evaluation of ways in which they can improve their skills for independent work in the future.

Your e-learners should: m submit the final version of their completed portfolio of work to the e-tutor at the end of the period identified for the activity.

ample message postings The examples message here are taken from a Masters-level1 course focusing on the use of technology in language learning 2 ; they would need to be adapted for other contexts and subject areas. SMP1 Guided personal research This activity encourages you to reflect and research various issues within your personal teaching experience and current teaching context and to take an active part in the learning process. On completion of this task you should have •

identified a range of different technologies that have been introduced into language learning and teaching over the course of the twentieth century; « considered the benefits and challenges each of these technologies brought to the language learner and teacher; « reflected upon the lessons learned from the introduction and implementation of these technologies into language learning and teaching; and « considered the appropriateness of applying these lessons learned to the introduction of the new technologies into language learning and teaching. There is a tendency to focus on the latest technological wizardry at the expense of earlier technological achievements and what they have contributed to our understanding of the effective use of technology in language learning and teaching. But, of course, there is no guarantee that the use of new technologies will be any better for teaching and learning purposes than old technologies. In this guided personal research task you are asked to examine how information and communication technology (ICT) can be used in language teaching and learning and to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of ICT for language teaching and learning. Much of this task deals with what we call the new technologies but it is essential at this point that we take a reflective step back. We need to consider the different technologies that have been introduced into language learning and teaching in the twentieth century, not just those introduced in the last ten years and to ask ourselves what lessons we have learned from the implementation of these earlier technologies. To complete this task you will need to: 1. Access the attached guided personal research template (DR1). 2. Follow the instructions provided in the task template. 3. Produce a new work item in your portfolio. 224

Dependent resources The example messages here are taken from a Masters-1 eve I course focusing on the use of technology in language learning; they would need to be adapted for other contexts and subject areas.

DR1 Guided personal research The use of technology in language learning and teaching in the twentieth century Instructions You should use this task template as a guide to your research and to: « identify a range of different technologies that have been introduced into language learning and teaching over the course of the twentieth century; « consider the benefits and challenges each of these technologies has brought to the language learner and teacher; •

reflect upon the lessons learned from the introduction and implementation of these technologies into language learning and teaching; and

•

consider the appropriateness of applying these lessons learned to the introduction of the new technologies into language learning and teaching.

Starting point You should, first, complete the table below with reference to your own experiences using technology, either in your own teaching or as a learner. Next, conduct a small survey (maximum four to six) with your teaching colleagues and your learners with reference to their experiences of using technology for teaching and learning. And finally, collate the experiences from those interviewed in your survey and record them on the table below. You should also make full use of the Internet resources suggested as support for this course to explore the issues raised in this task and further develop your table by including references to this reading. Your portfolio You will need to produce a new work item for this task in [appropriate place within the online learning platform]. Remember you will be required to provide access for your online tutor to your portfolio at regular intervals throughout the duration of this activity. Your tutor will keep you informed of these dates. And finally ... this template is intended as a guide only. You should aim to complete the

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notes/references section as fully as possible. You may find your completed task template will run into several pages. Task template Identify... ... the technology

... the benefits

... the challenges

... the lessons learned

For more information ... For more information on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland see: www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI/default.asp [accessed 12 July 2005] For another activity taking a similar approach to cyclical learning see: RAAL012 Redrafting for success

Notes

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1 Level 7 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland set out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2001), www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI/default.asp 2 The former MEd in ICT for TESOL offered by the University of Hull has been replaced by the Med in eLearning: www.hull.ac.uk/ces/courses/elearning.html

supportig wotrk based learning

RPAAS10

Learning contracts

Activity contributed by Gilbert Zvogbo

•

j

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m recognize the importance of learning contracts; m demonstrate an awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of learning contracts;

and m produce a learning contract appropriate to their particular learning situation.

•

Rationale This activity is designed to help students understand the purpose and value of learning contracts and to write learning contracts for their own learning context. The use of a collaborative online forum at the preparation stage enables the e-tutor to clarify the use of learning contracts and strategies for their development through discussion with the whole group. Thereafter online learning reflects the individualized nature of learning contracts by facilitating one-to-one communication between e-tutor and e-learner through the process of drafting and redrafting the documents that will determine the nature of the ongoing learning activity and experience. The e-tutor can efficiently and effectively respond to the individual problems their learners may face, suggest overall issues and indicate changes needed.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Writing learning

To prepare for the activity you should:

contracts

m

de^de on the timescale for each stage of the activity and

. . .. Interaction Individual and whole

*

identify appropriate guidance material to help your e-learners

the deadlines your e-learners will need to meet;

group

write their learning contract; the choice will depend on such

Synchronous/ asynchronous

things as the previous learning experiences of your group, the l evd gnd type of CQurse bejng fo||owedi e t c .

Context

*

prepare the messages you will send to your e-learners at

Start of an online course

eacn Sta

9e of the activity: (SMP1) - an activity opening

Learners new to the use of learning contracts

message for Stage 1 and (SMP2) - an activity opening message for Stage 2; « set up and facilitate the open forum for the focus on the nature of learning contracts in the preparatory stage; « identify an appropriate section of the course to form the focus for student planning in Stage 2 of the activity; and « set up open forum for the whole group activity in Stage 3.

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Stage one - preparatory whole-group discussion During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: m access and read your activity opening message (SMP1) and follow the instructions provided; m carry out background reading to deepen their awareness of learning contracts and pick out key points to share with others; and • post their contributions to the tutor-facilitated discussion of learning contracts. You should: « monitor and facilitate the activity in the group forum in order to ensure a clear understanding of the aims and advantages of learning contracts and establish sound strategies for their development during stage two of the activity; and « be prepared to respond to individual queries and questions.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Vow should: * produce a summary of the key points raised by the e-learners in their group forum in stage one (SMP3); and « post a message to open the next activity (SMP2) to each of your e-learners.

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

identify the general focus of the learning activity they would like to carry out;

« use the learning contract document to write a first draft of their learning objectives and how this learning might be achieved; and • send this first draft to their e-tutor and/or their workplace mentor to request feedback and guidance for improvement. You should: « be prepared to respond to the individual first drafts - this may include general points for improvements and/or edits; your response should primarily take the form of advice for the future so that the e-learner is engaged in an ongoing process of improvements through a number of drafts of their learning contract; « draw attention in your feedback to points raised in the collaborative discussion in Stage 1 of the activity; and • identify advice in the summary of the key points that you feel will especially benefit each individual in the further development of their learning contract.

Stage three - individual learning

During this stage of the activity

2128

Youre-learners should: « consider the feedback given by the e-tutor and/or and their workplace mentor; » reflect on the summary of the key points from stage one with a particular focus on advice that is especially relevant to their own learning contract;

it respond to the feedback given and the key points identified and redraft their learning contract - individuals may wish to write a number of partial redrafts before arriving at the version to be sent for further feedback; and m send this second draft to their e-tutor and/or their workplace mentor to request feedback and guidance for improvement. You should: m build on the feedback given on the individual first drafts; focus on the points for improvement mentioned previously and give advice for further developments and edits; and rn encourage each learner to produce at least one further redraft.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: * submit their final individual learning contracts. You should: m provide final feedback to the individual learning contracts; and m note remaining problem areas that you and/or their workplace mentor will need to monitor during the implementation of the learning which has been planned.

Sample message postings SMP1 It is generally accepted that adults have a greater sense of ownership and engagement in their learning when they are actively involved in negotiating the learning outcomes. A learning contract can help to secure this level of engagement. An additional benefit of a learning contract is that it serves to clarify the objectives for both the learner and the facilitator, leading to greater mutual understanding and collaborative development. For this preparatory stage of the activity you will be working as a whole group to explore the key advantages of learning contracts and looking at strategies to help you write your own learning contract effectively. You will undertake some individual reading and then contribute key points to the whole group forum. I will be facilitating this discussion and will draw up a summary of the key points discussed by the group. Read the guidance material about learning contracts [insert URL of relevant webbased material here] and identify: the key points you should bear in mind when developing learning contracts; and advantages and disadvantages of learning contracts. Go to the group forum, read any contributions others have made, and either add one new key point to each discussion, or respond to a message sent by one of the other e-learners. SMP2 A learning contract is a formal agreement written by a learner in negotiation with the tutor or facilitator. 'It details what will be learned, how the learning will be accomplished, the period of time involved and the specific evaluation criteria to be used in judging the completion of the learning.'

(Oliver, 2002, 16)

fm

Learning contracts can help to individualize learning. General guidelines can help you to ensure that your objectives are pitched at the academic level which is most suitable to you and your learning contract will enable you to liaise with your tutor to identify resource materials containing concepts and knowledge that are appropriate to your abilities and experiences. For this activity you are to write the first draft of your own learning contract. You should first identify the general focus of the learning activity you would like to carry out. Think about what you would like to learn, what you would like to achieve, and activities that might help you in this learning. Have a go at putting these first ideas into the Learning contract worksheet (DR1). Send this first draft to your e-tutor and/or your workplace mentor to request feedback and guidance for improvement. Remember: most people find that they write a number of drafts of a learning contract before they get to the final version. Don't worry about getting this first draft 'right'. Get some ideas down and your e-tutor will give you feedback on how you can take it further and make it more effective as a planning tool. SMP3 The summary posting arising out of the whole-group discussion in the preparatory stage may include points such as the following. A learning contract: » * * » »

helps the learner to control the learning; gives responsibility for learning; proves highly motivating for students; allows the learner to use their own learning styles; and is not an easy concept to understand, and needs skills to write.

Dependent resources DR1

Learning contract worksheet Student name:

Module title:

Date started:

Date due for completion:

Project title: Learning objectives: What do you hope to learn through completion of this project?

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Learning strategies and resources: How will you go about the work for this project, and what resources will you use?

Product/Outcomes: What will you produce as the product of your project and as evidence of learning according to your learning objectives?

aFor more information ... Learning and Teaching: Learning Contracts, by J. S. Atherton (2003), www.dmu.ac.uk/~jamesa/teaching/learning_contracts.htm [accessed 12 July 2005] For an activity that builds on the use of learning contracts within work-based learning see: RPAAS12 Alone ... yet not alone!

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supprotingworkbasedlearning

RPAAS11

•

A guide on the side ... active support for the mentor-mentee relationship

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m feel confident about their understanding of the mentoring relationship and find ways to make sure meetings with their mentor are effective; and •

use the Internet to discuss the workplace experience with their e-tutor, explore any problems and gain guidance and support for any difficulties they are experiencing.

•

Rationale Learners on vocational or work-based learning programmes are often supported in the workplace by workplace mentors. When the relationship works well, these workplace mentors can make a key contribution to the learning experience. However, sometimes the whole experience may be quite new to both 'mentor' and 'mentee' and traditionally opportunities for the course tutor to provide support for the relationship may be limited to infrequent visits to the actual workplace in which they are based. This activity exploits the opportunities that the Internet provides for e-tutor support to operate alongside the workplace mentoring relationship, with the hope of enabling both parties to get the most out of working together.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Supporting the mentor-mentee relationship during work-

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m prepare instructions learners need (SMP1); preparetyempaletesforusintheactivitydr1andjhjdhfjjdfjahjjdfhjjadfhjjdfhjjafj

based learning . ,. . , , Individual As nchronous Context Work-based learning courses Blended learning courses

• decide on timescales. To ^prepare for the activity' 'your e-learners should: ^ m ensure tne

Y identify and make contact with their workplace mentor early on in the course; and

m identify opportunities for regular meetings with their mentor

Adult learners

Stage one - individual learnin During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

access the instructions for this stage of the activity (SMP1) and the template for the Plan for mentor meetings (DRl);

« work individually to follow the instructions and use the template to plan and record two meetings with their mentor; and m reflect on the successful and less successful aspects of the meetings they have with their mentors.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: ii send a message to their e-tutor, summarizing these reflections and attaching the completed templates. You should: « read the emails and completed templates received from your e-learners; and « identify any problems that need to be addressed.

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity you should: « make arrangements to discuss the reflections and completed templates with the e-learners and to address any problems or other issues arising. This could be completed: n asynchronously by feedback on the documents they sent to you, leading into an asynchronous exchange of ideas and views; or n synchronously via a means such as online chat, video-conferencing, telephone, etc.; 223

m ask each e-learner to decide how often they would like to review the progress of the mentoring relationship and offer support either individually for the e-learner or for the mentor-mentee pair; and II invite each mentor-mentee pair to participate in a wider online forum for discussion with other e-learners and their mentors. Your e-learners should: in access ongoing support as they feel is appropriate to their needs within the context of their own mentoring context; this may include: a ongoing records of their meetings with their mentor; D a reflective journal focusing on the learning gained from the mentoring relationship and the issues arising; n individual discussions with their e-tutor at regular intervals agreed either individually or with their mentor; and n participation in a wider online forum for discussion with other e-learners and their mentors.

Sample message postings SMP1 Learners on vocational or work-based learning programmes are often supported in the workplace by mentors. When the relationship works well these workplace mentors can make a key contribution to your learning experience. However, sometimes the whole experience may be quite new and it is possible that neither 'mentor' nor 'mentee' have been in this formal role relationship before. It's not always easy to know how to get the most out of the opportunity or out of the meetings you have together, and when both of you are very busy people this can be especially frustrating. You should undertake this activity about a month into the period of workplace learning and reflect on the experience of mentoring so far, and on ways in which you can go on to get the most out of this valuable learning relationship. Task 1. Use the worksheet called Plan for mentor meetings (DR1) and plan and record two meetings with your mentor. Even if you initially make handwritten notes, please make an electronic copy of the worksheet so that you can send it to your tutor online. 2. Reflect on the things that have gone well, and less well, in these meetings with your mentor, and consider ideas from your reading about the mentoring relationship. 3. Send a message to your tutor using the learning platform identifying at least three ways in which the mentor meetings are going well and helping you in your learning and three ideas of problems you face and/or ways you plan to make better use of these meetings in the future. 4. Attach the completed worksheets to this message. 5. You can find out more about the mentoring relationship, the role of the mentor, the attitude of the 'mentee' (that's you!) and strategies for getting the most out of having a mentor to support you in your studies. Although the source might not sound relevant, the Institute of Physics website 'Guide to the mentoring relationship' actually gives a good overview that you should find very helpful. 234

Dependent resources DR1 Name:

Mentor:

Date/Time of meeting:

Items for discussion: Progress since last meeting:

Challenges/problems faced:

Next learning objectives:

Resources needed:

Learning activities/

Support needed:

opportunities needed:

AOB:

actionplanfornextperiod;

Student action:

Mentor action:

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supportingwork asedlearning

RPAAS12

•

Alone... yet not alone!

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « reflect on their past learning on the course and in work and identify areas to focus on in the course of this activity; m draft and follow a plan of action for their own individual workplace learning and evaluate the effectiveness of this plan and those drawn up by colleagues within their action set; • maintain contact with peers via the online environment, despite the individual nature of the workplace learning context; and m seek and provide mutual support and advice through online communication.

•

Rationale This activity assumes the context of a practice-based professional development learning experience. It aims to enable students to undertake professional development activities related to their role in the workplace, and to identify and work towards learning objectives and strategies related to the professional standards within their own individual work context. Thus the context of study is basically very individual, where the student is engaged in learning within the workplace with the support of an individual who acts as a support and mentor for them. This activity suggests ways in which the online environment can be used to provide additional peer support for such learners. The benefits are not just that each learner thereby has access to a wider network of support, but also that this process of peer support enables the development of additional transferable skills for all, and an understanding of a broader range of work contexts since learners are expected to exchange ideas with and support course colleagues through a process of online collaboration in which they will act as critical friends for each other in the course of their individual work.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Action plans for work-based learning /Act/on sets for online mutualsupport

To prepare for the activity you should: m send your learners the preparatory task in good time for them to complete it before the first face-to-face class

Interaction Individual and small groups , /Asynchronous Blended/earn/no

JQ p repare for tne activity youre-learners should:

Context Practice-based professional development learning experience

• bring those notes to the first face-to-face class.

{SMpl) _

« follow your instructions (SMP1) to reflect on their past learning on the course and in work and to identify areas to focus on during this activity; and

Stage one - whole-group learning (face to face/online) During this stage of the activity You should: « provide an opportunity for the individual learners to discuss with others the preparatory reflection they have done, the gaps in their learning they have identified and the areas they have chosen as possible targets to work on in this activity; and m set up the action sets for the activity and explain how these will operate and the ways in which they are expected to operate and provide mutual support. (DR1). Youre-learners should: « use the opportunity to discuss with others the preparatory reflection they have done, the gaps in their learning they have identified and the areas they have chosen as possible targets to work on in this activity.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « provide guidance to help the students prepare the first draft of their individual action plan and give constructive feedback to the others in their action set (SMP2). Your e-learners should: •

agree within their action sets deadlines by which they will each complete a first draft of their individual action plan; and

« agree within their action sets how they will work together to share these action plans and give each other constructive feedback to help them in their planning.

Stage two - individual/small group learning Youre-learners should: •

map out their own action plan (DR2); and

• communicate with the other members of their action sets to offer and invite support and feedback on the action plans drawn up.

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You should: • be available to address any questions or provide support where needed.

Stage three - individual learning and small group learning Youre-learners should : m follow guidance and instructions to undertake the actual work to carry out their action plan (SMP3); m collaborate with the others in their action set to provide mutual support and to undertake a review of individual and group progress in [indicate appropriate week here] (SMP4); and • send a group report on progress to you as e-tutor so that you have an overview of their work and can help address any problems that may arise. You should: * be available to address any questions or provide support where needed; ^ remind individuals and groups of deadlines for periodic review of progress; & respond to group reports on progress; and n encourage all learners to complete their work within the overall timescale.

Sample message postings SMP1

Initial preparation - week 1 Where are you now? You should start the work for this module before you attend the first face-to-face session. The following must be done in the first week, and the notes must be brought to that class. The first part of this activity asks you to work independently to review the learning you have already done on the course and in the workplace in relation to the standards you are expected to achieve within your work. The aim of your reflection is to identify where there are gaps in your achievement of these standards and thereby select areas that you personally would like to focus on in this activity. Task Think about the learning you have already done on the course and in the workplace in relation to the standards you are expected to achieve within your work. You will find that you have already collected evidence for some of these standards. Make sure your records in your professional development portfolio are up to date, even if only as notes. Identify where there are gaps - i.e. standards that you are not yet able to evidence. Choose some key standards that you feel you could work on in the course of this module.

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Bring your professional development portfolio and list of gaps along to the face-toface session at the start of the module.

SMP2 You should not underestimate the importance of planning within the work for this learning activity. You will make more progress if you put time into thinking about what you want to learn, how you are going to go about that learning and what evidence you will produce to show that the learning has been achieved. Identifying timescales for the different tasks you have to undertake will help you control your time and complete the learning on time. Task In this task you should work independently to: « map out your own action plan (DR2); and m start reading about the topic areas within the standards you have identified as the targets for this activity. You should discuss your plans with your mentor and others within the workplace. You should communicate with the other members of your action set to support them in their work and to ask them for support for yours. This support might include: m H • m

encouragement; feedback on action plans; ideas as to how action plans could be improved; and ideas for reference/read ing material that might be useful to other people's action plans.

SMP3 Within your action plan you have identified: • your targets in the form of personal learning objectives; « your learning strategies - the activities to be carried out to achieve these targets; m the resources you will need, both the background reading for own learning and the resources needed for the activity itself; and m persons involved - mentor, line manager, other staff, etc. Now is the time to get going on this work as it is important to start promptly if you are to keep to the timescale that you have made for yourself. Your mentor, tutor and peers will be helping you to keep on track as you move through the module, but nevertheless it is your responsibility to ensure you get through the work in the time available. Task Ways in which you can get going on your work might include the following: • Take action to get hold of reading material and other resources you will need for your exploration and learning in relation to your chosen topics - perhaps you need to access Internet sites, reserve/borrow books from the library, access policies at work, etc. » Start to read the material you already have. Use the reading and note-taking skills developed over the course of your studies to read effectively and efficiently and to keep organized records you can make use of in the future. « Take action to contact any people who need to be involved in your work for the module - perhaps you need to arrange a meeting with your mentor and/or other staff and these may require time to set up.

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« If possible, start other activities to be carried out to achieve your targets - your strategy and timescale may allow time for reading before action. If not, if your reading and exploration of the target topics is to run alongside professional actions to last throughout the activity then it will be important to start these as soon as possible, SMP4 As you know, peer support within the action sets is an important aspect of the work for this activity and you should work hard to provide support for your action set colleagues and to seek their support for your own work. Whether you are working on similar or different target areas, you can learn an awful lot from the work others do, from discussions around the topics you are focusing on and from the experience of peer mentoring and support. Task Although you are physically working in different places, based within your individual workplaces, you should make time to ensure that this peer support and communication online becomes part of the regular activity and is carried out in a way which will allow all members of your action set to participate fully. Each action set will work out the details of their peer support for themselves, but it may include: m discussion of problems arising in your independent work; * sharing of resources and ideas as to possible resources; and m sharing of new learning and celebration of achievements and success. In [indicate appropriate week here] you should carry out a progress review in collaboration within your action set. This is intended to ensure that everyone keeps on track and to make sure that you know where you are with respect to the timescale set up within your action plan. It will mean that if necessary you could adjust this timescale if you were to fall behind at all. » Each of you should individually map your activity to date against your own timescale in your action plan. M Each of you should send a message to your action set colleagues, summarizing activity to date and stating whether you are on target or behind target with respect to the timescale you planned. You should include ideas of any adjustments needed. « The action set should discuss and summarize the progress of the group in a message to the tutor, and any adjustments to be made to the timescales of individuals. « If you are having any problems, the tutor will join in a discussion of strategies to adjust your plans to achieve targets on time.

Dependent resources DR1

240

Your work during this part of the course will not only involve your individual work within the workplace. You will also work within action sets to support each other, give and obtain guidelines and learn from the work that others are doing.

An action set is a small group of students who will support each other through the course of the work and who will communicate with each other about progress through the individal action plans you have written. DR2

Action plan Target

Learning

Resources

Persons

strategies

(Background

involved

Timescale

(Learning

(Activities to

reading for own

(e.g. mentor,

(Start/end dates

objective)

be carried out)

learning and

line manager,

for each element)

resources needed

other staff)

for the

activity itself)

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supportingwork asedlearning

RPAAS13

Presenting posters

This activity is based on a face-to-face learning activity used on the Foundation Degree in Education Studies for Teaching Assistants at the University of Sunderland.

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « identify the key issues and points of learning arising from a work-based learning project; m present these key points in the form of a short a PowerPoint presentation; and i take part in active discussion with reference to both his/her own presentation and those of his/her online colleagues.

•

Rationale Posters are often used in face-to-face teaching to present and communicate ideas and poster presentations form a common element of professional conferences and seminars, typically representing an opportunity for individuals and groups to present the findings of small-scale action research and other research projects. In their conception, a poster encourages the learner to think carefully about the key elements of the information or message he/she wishes to present and to consider the most appropriate and effective way to communicate the ideas. During a poster presentation session the posters provide a springboard for discussion and further exploration of ideas; participants circulate, read posters and engage in interaction with presenters, who thereby have the opportunity to explain their findings of views and provide additional information through discussion. Online, packages such as PowerPoint can be used to develop short presentations that serve the same purpose as posters, using technology to create an imaginative and powerful means of communicating ideas. Freed from the confines of space and time by the online medium, online discussion tools can be used as a channel and opportunity for the exchange of questions and views. Participants can Visit' the presentations prepared by others and post questions/engage in discussion of the issues raised. They can almost simultaneously also be accessible to those who have questions or issues to raise about the views they themselves have put forward. In this activity the idea of a poster presentation is adapted to enable work-based learners on a distance learning programme to overcome barriers of place and time to share and discuss information and learning from their work-based projects with other members of their online arouo.

2422222

Guidelines for the e-tutor Preparation for the activity

Foc

Poster presentation Identification and presentation of key points

To prepare for the activity you should: « identify the work-based learning activities on which the presentation is to be based;

o earning jfkdajkhjhjdfjahjdfhjashjjhdfj with online colleagues to learn from each other's work-based learning experiences

^ identify the timescales for the preparation and

Interaction

presentation stages of the activity and the deadlines your e-learners will need to meet; and m post a message to your learners to explain the nature of ^ p0ster presentation activity and any instructions for the actual

development of the presentation itself (SMP 1).

Individual Whole group Asynchronous/synchronous Context Work-based learning Adult learners Distance/online learning courses

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: M undertake the work-based learning activity indicated as the basis for the PowerPoint presentations on the topic specified. You should:

•

support the learner activity and be prepared to answer questions or provide guidance where needed.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

remind your e-learners of the deadline for completion of the work-based learning activity and move them on to the next stage, when they will prepare their 'poster' in the form of PowerPoint presentation.

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « plan and design their 'poster1, identifying the key points to present, appropriate data to include, and a design that will communicate ideas clearly; and m formulate possible questions they feel the other members of the group may ask them about the issues discussed in their poster and prepare ideas as to how they will answer.

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You should: « monitor the learner activity and ensure that they are able to use PowerPoint, or the equivalent, to design their 'poster'.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « remind your e-learners of the deadline for completion of the presentations and the dates, forum and instructions for the poster presentation event (SMP2).

:age three - group learning and discussion During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

post their 'posters' (PowerPoint presentations) to the group forum;

•

look at the presentations posted by others and send messages to ask questions, request further information and/or initiate discussion with reference to all the 'posters' presented; and

« be ready to engage in discussion with their online colleagues about their own 'posters' and to respond to questions asked. You should: •

facilitate the online discussion and intervene with questions and issues for discussion as and when appropriate.

ample message postings SMP1 This task requires you to: « undertake a particular work-based learning activity exploring the following area of work [insert topic here] - complete this activity by [date]; and • produce a three- to five-slide PowerPoint presentation (or equivalent) to illustrate the key issues and conclusions arising from your work-based learning - complete the presentation by [date]. Learning activity [Insert details and instructions for the learning activity here.] Poster design 1. Plan how you are going to present your issues and conclusions in a three- to five-slide PowerPoint presentation. 2. Consider carefully the structure of your slides and how you are going to convey the ideas you want to put across in a simple, effective but informative way. 3. Consider also the design, use of colours and font as these too have a role to play in effective communication of ideas. 4. Be prepared to share your presentation with your group by [date].

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SMP2 'Poster' presentation The poster presentation session will take place in the group forum between the following dates: [insert start and end dates here]. You should be prepared to: 1. Answer questions and engage in active discussion on your presentation with your online colleagues. 2. Ask questions and engage in active discussion on the presentation of your online colleagues.

Activity variations/extensions The activity as written is undertaken principally as an individual activity with e-learners each taking responsibility for preparing and discussing their own presentation. It could, however, also be undertaken on a group basis, perhaps circulating responsibility for responding to questions during the poster presentation session discussions. The group element could also be combined with a collaborative research activity to maximize learning opportunities (cross-reference to other activity).

For more information ... Further information about posters and their design can be obtained from the following university websites and can be adapted for preparing short electronic presentations: University of Newcastle upon Tyne: http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/Dept/Tips/present/posters. htm#design Liverpool Hope University: www.hope.ac.uk/gnu/stuhelp/poster.htm Although these are university sites, don't let that put you off consulting them if you work in other sectors; these sites contain simple, practical advice applicable in any context.

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5

Resources for assessment and active learning online

Assessment and active learning online Assessing skills p. 248

Assessing knowledge and understanding p. 270

Engaging learners with the learning and assessment process p. 288

RAALO1 SWOT for progress in learning online

RAAL05 Quizzical p. 270

p. 288

p. 248

RAALO2 Here's the evidence to prove it!

RAALO6 Summary reflections p. 274

p. 254

RAALO10

Peer review for assessment and learning p. 294

RAALO3 Topical role-play

RAALO7 Making your portfolio work for

p. 261

you

RAALO11 Learning journals

p. 278

p. 297

RAALO8 Together we stand or fall

RAALO12 Redrafting for success

p. 282

p. 301

RAALO4 Focus work p. 266

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RAALO9 Negotiated assessment criteria

The resources in this section will provide the e-tutor with ideas for assessment activities that complement the active approach to learning online. Assessment assignments should motivate the learner to learn and these resources are designed to maintain the human element in the assessment process by fostering coherence between the key elements of teaching, learning and assessment Activities are included for assessing skills and for assessing knowledge and understanding, though to a large extent these two categories overlap. They also overlap the third category that explores ways of helping e-learning to engage with understanding the learning and assessment process through contributing to the formulation of assessment criteria and engaging in processes of peer assessment. Suggestions are made for effective ways in which the communicative and collaborative potential of the Internet can be exploited to enable interaction between learners, peers and tutors in the drafting and formative reformulation of assignment tasks.

See also: RLL10 Using and abusing tools to improve writing style RPAAS13 Presenting posters

RPAAS2 Piecing the jigsaw together web-questing RPAAS8 Online seminar RPAAS10 Learning contracts RPAAS11 A guide on the side

Assessingskillskljhfgff

RAAL01

SWOT for progress in learning online

Activity contributed by Jane Harris

I

Learning outcomes

Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

explore their reasons for enrolling on an e-learning course, and reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, the objectives they want to achieve and the distractions or difficulties that may get in the way of their learning;

•

identify ways in which their skills as online learners develop over the period of their e-learning course; and

m analyse the difficulties and challenges they face in taking part in an online course and the strategies they can take to address these.

I Rationale SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunites, Threats) is not original and is standard business practice. However, in this activity the technique is applied and utilized for the assessment of and reflection on student 'performance 1 within online learning and provides a means of e-tutor support, something that is especially important where part-time distance learners may feel a lack of personal contact and immediate feedback. Over the period of an e-learner's course, they are offered three (or more) opportunities to reflect on their expectations, progress and achievement as online learners, and the challenges they overcome en route. In the first case, the reflection starts even before the learner begins. This is called the pre-learning snapshot, and the e-learner is invited to explore their expectations of what (for many) is an entirely new, and foreign, learning experience. These expectations are then reviewed part-way into the course, at the mid-term review (this may be replicated if necessary for longer courses). As the learner progresses, he/she should see strengths developing within his/her approach and skills for e-learning, weaknesses migrating to strengths, objectives being met, and threats being overcome. Finally, after the course has been completed, the learners are encouraged to think back over the entirety of their e-learning experience.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Participation in online

To prepare for the activity you should:

discussion

m

Reflection Self-analysis of own skills for online learning

contact each of your e-learners before they start their e-learning course and send them the pre-learning snapshot (SMP1)

Interaction Individual

Context Learners new to online learning Throughout an online course Non-traditional adult returners to learning

Stage one - individual learning: pre-learning snapshot During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: m work individually to think about the course they are about to take, the skills they will

need for learning online and the challenges they may face; and » complete the pre-learning snapshot (SMP1) and send it to their e-tutor. You should: m contact your e-learners to check whether they are having any problems completing the pre-learning snapshot (SMP1); and •

offer to talk them through it, either via online chat or by a telephone call.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « look at the pre-learning snapshot(s) received from your e-learner(s); •

pick out two key issues where you feel they could most benefit from your help and support; and

« contact your e-learner(s) to offer guidance and support on these two chosen areas, and other issues that they may raise. This contact could take place: n asynchronously by feedback on the documents they sent to you, leading into an asynchronous exchange of ideas and views; or n synchronously via means such as online chat, video-conferencing, telephone, etc.

Stage two - individual learning: mid-term review You should: « send your e-learners the mid-course review (SMP2) and give them a deadline for completion and return to you.

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Youre-learners should: work individually to; * think about the ways in which their skills have developed since the start of their e-learning course n compare their experience with the expectations they had before they started learning online; and m complete the mid-course review (SMP2) and send it to their e-tutor.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « look at the mid-course review(s) received from your e-learner(s); • pick out two key issues where you feel they could most benefit from your help and support - focus in particular on the key issues identified at the pre-learning snapshot stage; and « contact your e-learner(s) to feed back on the issues in their mid-course review and other issues that they may raise; as before, this contact could take place: D asynchronously by feedback on the documents they sent to you, leading into an asynchronous exchange of ideas and views; or a synchronously via means such as online chat, video-conferencing, telephone, etc.

Stage three - individual learning: final review (SMP3) Repeat the activity of stages one and two of the course, but this time focusing on the overall progress and achievement on the whole e-learning course and looking forward to any future e-learning your e-learners may undertake.

Sample message postings SMP1 Online learning may well be a new experience for you. Many people have not taken part in an e-learning course before and you may be one of these. Before you start your course, we would like you to think forward to the course you are about to take, to imagine what you think it might be like, and to use the following to list the things you might be good at, those you might find difficult, your reasons for enrolling on this e-learning course and any distractions or difficulties that may get in the way of your learning online. This will help us to help you. Pre-learning snapshot - Keywords you may wish to use Look through the following keywords, and use them to assist you as you list your strengths, weaknesses, objectives and threats: * Communication * Motivation/self-motivation * Interests * Time management * Planning * Meeting deadlines * Qualifications * Current career/job * Change of career/job * Skills (literacy, numeracy, IT, speaking) * Computer and Internet access

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Strengths

Weaknesses

List here the things you are good at and that you think will help you do well on an e-learning course.

List here the things you are less good at and that you consider to be your weaknesses in terms of skills you will need for an e-learning course.

Objectives

Threats

List here your reasons for enrolling on this e-learning course.

List here any distractions or difficulties that may get in the way of your learning online.

*

Comments List here any other comments about yourself, your experiences and your previous learning that you think will be useful for your e-tutor to know.

Note: This information will be kept strictly confidential. It will be used by your tutor to improve your learning, and will not be passed to any third party.

Now you are halfway through your e-learning course, and it is time to think back over your experience so far and to compare this experience and the skills you have now with the expectations you had before you started learning online. Mid-term review Think about how much progress you have made since before you started your e-learning course, the progress you have made in adapting to e-learning and what you have learned. Fill in the grid to reflect the changes. Strengths

Weaknesses

List here the things you are good at now and which you think are the things that make you good at learning online.

List here the things you are less good at and that you find difficult when learning online,

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Objectives

Threats

List here the e-learning skills you hope to improve in the rest of your e-learning course.

List here any distractions or difficulties that are getting in the way of your learning online.

Comments Reflect here on your achievements, your motivation and your progress in adapting to learning online.

Note: This information will be kept strictly confidential. It will be used by your tutor to improve your learning, and will not be passed to any third party. Keywords reminder Look through the following keywords, and use them to assist you as you list your strengths, weaknesses, objectives and threats. * Communication * Motivation/self-motivation * Interests * Time management * Planning * Meeting deadlines * Qualifications * Current career/job * Change of career/job * Skills (literacy, numeracy, IT, speaking)

Final review Congratulations! You have come to the end of this e-learning course. Please take a few moments to complete this grid and to reflect on how much progress you have achieved.

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Strengths

Weaknesses

List here the things you are good at now and that you consider you do well when learning online.

List here the things you are less good at and that you still find difficult when learning online.

Objectives

Threats

List here the objectives that you would like to achieve on future e-learning courses.

List here any distractions or difficulties that may get in the way of you achieving these objectives.

Comments Reflect here on your achievements in learning online.

Please comment here about any changes/improvements you would like to see in the e-learning course that you have finished. Your comments will help us to improve the course for other learners.

Activity variations/extensions As the task is written the '0' of SWOT has been used as 'Objectives' to encourage learners to think of their own personal learning objectives as they, perhaps, move into independent learning for the first time. The more usual interpretation of the '0' is as 'Opportunities', and if this were used as a variation of the activity it would encourage the e-learners to think of the opportunities and chances that e-learning opens to them, in terms of their learning but also in terms of other areas of their life.

For more information ... For other activities that address the issue of the assessment of online participation see: RAAL02 Here's the evidence to prove it! RAAL03 Topical role-play

253

ASSESSINGSKILLS

RAAL02 •

Here's the evidence to prove it!

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • analyse the contribution that they have made to online discussion and the part their messages/responses played in taking the wider group discussion forward; • apply an awareness of the learning outcomes to be achieved on their course both to the analysis of their own contributions and to the enhancement of their learning through effective online participation; and • identify individual contributions that best reflect and represent the quality of their participation.

•

Rationale The social and collaborative aspects of the learning experience are as important online as in face-to-face classes; indeed, evidence suggests that they may in fact be even more important if independent, lone learners are to remain motivated and involved. However, meaningful online collaboration will not just happen 'because it is a good thing1; for students to see the purpose of online discussion and take the trouble to participate it must be built into the overall course design from the start, and this usually means including such elements within the assessment (Fairhurst 2003; Bennett 2004). Such assessment often initially takes the form of the tutor assessing contributions, either during the course of the ongoing discussion or on a summative basis at the end of the course. However, if such assessment is to address quality of participation rather than merely simplistic measures of quantity of contributions, any tutor engaged in this process will quickly appreciate the scale of the task facing them. All too easily the task becomes overwhelming, and the role as facilitator of interaction and promoter of quality learning can be subsumed under the burden of role as assessor. This activity suggests ways in which students themselves can be involved in the assessment of their own participation and contributions, and in ways which will enhance the impact that the assessment itself has on the quality of learning (Gibbs and Simpson) as well as removing an unreasonable workload from the tutor who is then free to concentrate on facilitation and teaching.

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Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Assessment of online discussion Evidence of learning

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: identify the specific discussions and associated learning outcomes that will be the focus of the assessment; where this

m

outcomes achieved

r

. ,

,

. .

forms one element of a broader assessment of your course it is

Contributions to

online discussion

helpful to identify the particular learning outcomes which are

Student involvement in assessment

best assessed in this way (DR1); m identify the timescale for the discussion itself and for the

Interaction .,..,,

submission of wor; . • prepare an appropriate evidencing sheet that the e-learners will use to present examples of their achievement of particular learning outcomes and demonstrate their achievement through participation in the online discussion; this should be

Context Online and blended ^ Start/midway/end o f online learning course Adult learners Academic courses Assessment activities

made available to them before the start of the discussion; m

PrePare a samPle trans^'P* of a smal1 9 rou P discussion that contains relevant examples of contributions in relation to the learning outcomes your e-learners will be trying to

demonstrate; and m prepare instructions for each stage of the activity (SMP1, SMP2).

Stage one - preparation: individual and small group learning - understanding the task During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « access and read your activity opening message (SMP1) and follow the instructions provided; « work with the sample transcript and evidencing sheet to practise the task they will later complete in relation to their own work; and « arrange to compare their answers with at least one other student on the course, and discuss the reasons for any differences in their answers. You should: •I make sure the e-learners know what they are supposed to do; and « be available to assist should they have any problems.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « collect the sample answers resulting from the pair work; « read the samples submitted; • prepare feedback that reflects the work submitted by the group as a whole and targets any problems you spotted; and « send this feedback to your learners.

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Stage two - group learning During this stage of the activity You should: • set up and facilitate the online discussions that form the basis for the activity; and « bear in mind the associated learning outcomes when making your own contributions, so as to assist the e-learners in achieving the objectives set. Your e-learners should: m take an active part in the online discussions; • keep the associated learning outcomes in mind during the discussion; and • keep an ongoing record of contributions they make that they feel will help to evidence these outcomes at the end of the discussions.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: • remind your e-learners of the date when each of the discussions will end; and » remind your e-learners of the date for submission of the self-evidencing sheet.

Stage three - individual learning Your e-learners should: » complete their evidencing sheet at the end of each of the discussions (SMP2); « keep each completed sheet as a personal record of their participation and achievement; and •

use the Reflection section to assess how they feel their participation has developed over each of the discussions, the strengths they have shown and the areas they plan to work on in the future.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: • submit the final self-evidencing sheet (both sections) for assessment by the date indicated by their e-tutor.

Sample message postings You will be give a sample transcript of a small group discussion, on a subject similar to the topics you will be discussing on this course, and will find attached to it an evidencing sheet showing particular learning outcomes to be assessed through this debate. • Look at the evidencing sheet to see the particular learning outcomes to be assessed. « Read through the transcript. « Choose the most appropriate examples you find and cut and paste them from the transcript into the table below.

256

/Vote; in a long message you should select the particular part(s) of the message that are relevant.

You should then: « arrange to compare answers with at least one other student on the course, discuss the reasons for any differences in your answers, and decide which are in fact the best answers; and • send this final version to your e-tutor by [date].

Your tutor will set up and facilitate [insert number of discussions here] online discussion(s) over the following period of time [insert start and end dates here]. The self-evidencing sheet indicates the learning outcomes that will be assessed through this activity and you should bear these in mind when taking part in the online discussions. At the end of each discussion, look back over your contributions and identify examples where you feel you have made contributions that are appropriate evidence for the learning outcomes shown in the self-evidencing sheet. Choose the most appropriate examples you find and cut and paste them from the online forum into the attached template (see DR1). Note: in a long message you should select the particular part(s) of the message that are relevant. After each sample pasted from the online forum you should give the 'reference' it came from - to do this you should copy and paste the audit trail above the message, for example: Staff Room 2003 » Skills for Learning Issues »» assessing discussion »»» Shirley Bennett, 12 Sep 2003, 15:13 Note: You should complete a copy of the self-evidencing sheet at the end of each discussion and keep it carefully as a record of your participation. You will not submit these individual sheets, but they will help you to complete the final version of the sheet that is submitted at the end of the course. At the end of the last discussion, complete the sheet as usual, but also look at the three other sheets that you have completed over the course of the module and use the Reflection section to assess how you feel your participation has developed over the four discussions, the strengths you have shown and the areas you plan to work on in future modules. It is this final self-evidencing sheet (both sections) that you submit for assessment at the end of the course.

Dependent resources

Online discussion self-evidencing sheet Instructions At the end of each discussion look back over your contributions to the online discussion and identify examples where you feel you have made contributions that are appropriate evidence for the learning outcomes listed in the table below.

257

Choose the most appropriate examples you find and cut and paste them into the table below. Note:'m a long message you should select the particular part(s) of the message that are relevant. After each sample you should give the 'reference' it came from - to do this you should copy and paste the audit trail above the message, for example: Staff Room 2003 » Skills for Learning Issues »»assessing discussion »»» Shirley Bennett, 12 Sep 2003, 15:13 Note: You should complete a copy of this self-evidencing sheet at the end of each discussion and keep it carefully as a record of your participation in the online discussion. You will not submit these individual sheets, but they will help you to complete the final version of the sheet that is submitted at the end. At the end of the last discussion, complete the sheet as usual, but also look at the [insert number here] other sheets that you have completed and use the Reflection section to assess how you feel your participation has developed, the strengths you have shown and the areas you plan to work on in the future. It is this final self-evidencing sheet (both sections) that you submit for assessment (The sample table below was devised on the basis of the learning outcomes associated with the online discussion element of the assessment for a module in Promoting and enhancing learning with ICT.) Module: Promoting and enhancing

Discussion number:

learning with ICT Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding On completion of this activity learners should be able to describe their own skills and strategies in relation to the use of ICT, and the ways in which these can contribute to effectiveness at work and to benefit children's learning.

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Intellectual skills On completion of this activity, learners should be able to explain, give reasons for, analyse and evaluate essential facts, following the guidance provided.

Examples (cut and paste from your contributions to the discussions) - remember also to copy and paste the audit trail showing where the example came from.

Transferable skills (communication) On completion of this activity learners should be able to demonstrate the ability to use ICT tools effectively to communicate information and ideas in ways that enable understanding. Transferable skills (problem-solving) On completion of this activity learners should be able to demonstrate the ability to solve given defined problems and evaluate both the approach taken and the solution suggested. Reflection During the online discussion my greatest strengths have been ...

I need to further develop my skills in relation to ...

My thoughts about the progress I have made in working with others to explore issues and solve problems are ...

Activity variations/extensions A simplified version of this activity would involve using the self-evidencing approach in connection with a single online discussion. The reflection element could still be used, but without the need to summarize progress over the course of a number of discussions. The activity could also be used simply as a formative, reflective activity, without the assessment function. The activity as described here assumes completion by individual e-learners and a focus on their personal online contributions. It could be adapted to be undertaken on a collaborative basis as a reflection on, and/or assessment of whole group achievement.

259

For more information ... Does your assessment support your students' learning?, by Graham Gibbs and Claire Simpson, Centre for Higher Education Practice, Open University, www.open.ac.uk/science/fdtl/documents/lit-review.pdf [accessed 12 July 2005] For other activities that address the issue of the assessment of online participation see: RALL01 SWOT for progress in learning online RAAL03 Topical role-play

260

ASSESSING SKILLAS

RAAL03 •

Topical role-play

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • research an issue of topical interest on the Internet; ii identify arguments for and against within a specific context; and « take on a role and argue a cause based on their own research.

• Rationale Contribution to online discussion in e-learning in both distance and blended course delivery is increasingly becoming an element of successful participation in learning activities, and often forms a significant part of the final assessment. However, ensuring this contribution is valuable to the activity and assessing this interaction in a way meaningful to the learner often presents a challenge to the e-tutor. The key is to provide a context within which the reason and purpose of interaction is clear to the learners and within which they are motivated to engage. It thus follows that the assessment itself should also be conducted in such a way that its purpose and outcome is also meaningful. This activity provides the context for interaction and assessment of this interaction and is thus an excellent opportunity for the tutor to review the learners' online interaction skills and their ability to research and support their views and arguments through self-directed research. The online environment offers the opportunity for extended discussion, continuous research in response to issues raised in this discussion and a role-play scenario within which individuals can take on another character and viewpoint without the inferences often suggested by faceto-face contact. Role-play activities therefore work very well in an online environment and this activity relies on the Internet and its wealth of accessible and up-to-date information that is easily accessible to the individual online learner. This activity is particularly suited to those programmes in which the content focus is reflected in developments in current affairs or well-documented theories and concepts.

261

Guidelines for the e-tutor Preparation for the activity

OCUS

Online role-ploy as a meaningful context for online communication and discussion

To prepare for the activity you should:

INDENTIFYATOPICALISSUETHA the Internet (DR1);

Interaction Individuals Small groups Synchronous/asynchronous

* identify clear roles that can be assumed by the learners; m prepare brief role outlines for the group (DR2); and m send a message to the learners to outline the activity

r * , Context Online or blended learning courses Assessmen t activities

(SMP1)-

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: m access your instructions to discover their role for the activity (SMP1); • research background information related to their role on the Internet; and m prepare arguments and standpoints appropriate to their assigned role. You should: « provide guidance and support as and when required.

Stage two - group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: » follow instructions; and • take part in the online discussion with their online peers, remaining within their identifiec role at all times. You should: m act as chairperson to guide and facilitate the discussion.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

assess the interaction of your learners, both at an individual and a group level (DR2); and

•

provide feedback to the group and individuals; it is important here that assessment remains within character of the role-play in order that the feedback is as authentic as possible - for example, depending on the nature of the role-play the focus may be predominantly on appropriateness of content, presentation of ideas and persuasiveness and construction of argument.

26

Sample message postings The messages below are written to reflect the race to host the 2012 Olympic Games but could easily be adapted for another context related to your own course or teaching context.

SMP1 You are going to take part in a role-play that involves researching and preparing arguments for and against the issues raised within the context of the role-play scenario. This scenario is the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. You will be put into four groups, one for each of the key cities competing for the Games, namely London, Paris, New York and Madrid. I will be sending you a message shortly. This message will tell you which team you are in, who you are working with and the questions you should be focusing on.

Planning When you receive this message, may I suggest that you make immediate contact with your group and spend the next few days planning how you are going to tackle the topic. Independent research You should then spend a week researching the topic area and identifying the issues raised. Your independent research should be completed by [date]. Collaborative working Then during the week beginning [date], you should work with your group to prepare for the presentation. You should remember that the aim of this presentation is to persuade the International Olympic Committee that your city is the place to hold the 2012 Olympic Games. This presentation should be as visually attractive and as informative as possible but not exceed the stated time/word limit [insert time/date limit as appropriate]. The presentation The presentation will take the following form. Each team will present their case to the group on [date]. The group will then consider each other's presentations over the next few days and prepare searching, critical questions for each other. The question and answer session

On/over the period [date - depending on whether or not this session is to be held synchronously or asynchronously] you will take part in a question and answer session. You tutor will be acting as chairperson. Each team will be expected to answer the questions set by the other teams. Assessment

This activity will be assessed. The interaction will be assessed with reference to the guidelines attached (DR2).

24

Dependent resources DR1 Role - London You are in the team preparing the bid to hold the Olympic Games in London in 2012. • What are your main arguments to put forward to the International Olympic Committee in order to persuade them that London is the city to choose for the 2012 Games? • What arguments do you think may be put forward against London holding the Games? List these arguments and be prepared to argue against them. « What arguments do you, the London team, have against Paris, Madrid and New York holding the Games? Role - Paris You are in the team preparing the bid to hold the Olympic Games in Paris in 2012. m What are your main arguments to put forward to the International Olympic Committee in order to persuade them that Paris is the city to choose for the 2012 Games? « What arguments do you think may be put forward against Paris holding the Games? List these arguments and be prepared to argue against them. « What arguments do you, the Paris team, have against London, Madrid and New York holding the Games? Role - Madrid You are in the team preparing the bid to hold the Olympic Games in Madrid in 2012. • What are your main arguments to put forward to the International Olympic Committee in order to persuade them that Madrid is the city to choose for the 2012 Games? • What arguments do you think may be put forward against Madrid holding the Games? List these arguments and be prepared to argue against them. • What arguments do you, the Madrid team, have against London, Paris and New York holding the Games? Role - New York You are in the team preparing the bid to hold the Olympic Games in New York in 2012. « What are your main arguments to put forward to the International Olympic Committee in order to persuade them that New York is the city to choose for the 2012 Games? • What arguments do you think may be put forward against New York holding the Games? List these arguments and be prepared to argue against them. • What arguments do you, the New York team, have against London, Paris and Madrid holding the Games?

Dr2 Factors to be considered in assessing the presentations and contributions to question and answer sessions: 264

Clarity/expression: « main points and ideas are clearly expressed and/or explained. Support/research: m ideas and argument supported by a number of relevant and reliable references. Critical thinking: m summarizes, describes, interprets and contrasts information or applies general principles to specific situations. Integration/relevance: • ideas and reading relevant to the topic and connected to the overall argument/discussion. D ' Responsiveness:

» own contributions are linked to points made by others in a manner that substantially strengthens the group's efforts to resolve the main problem. Engagement and contribution to the learning community: « frequency of reading and quality of response to discussion, awareness of and response to needs of community; presents creative approaches to topic. Significance: » contribution made to the overall impact of the team's position. Adapted from materials produced by University of Adelaide, Australia; University of Salford, United Kingdom; California State University, USA; Spokane Falls Community College, USA

:

or more information ... The areas suggested for consideration in assessment of this activity are taken from materials drawn up by the following universities: Rubric for Assessment of Contributions to the Online Discussion, Learning and Teaching Development Unit - University of Adelaide, www.unisa.edu.au/evaluations/Full-papers/BaronFull.doc Assignment and Discussion Rubric Exo/np/eThe University of Salford, www.isi.salford.ac.uk/staff/fb/Workshops/UKAIS1202/slidesetc/Assignment%20 and%20Discussion%20Rubric%20Example.doc Assessing Effectiveness of Student Participation in Online Discussions, California State University (USA), www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring51/edelstein51.html /Assessment Criteria for Online Discussions, Spokane Falls Community College, USA, http://faculty.spokanefalls.edu/discussions/assessment_criteria_for_online_discussions. htm For other activities that address the issue of the assessment of online participation see: RALL01 SWOT for progress in learning online RAAL02 Here's the evidence to prove it!

265

ASSESSINGSKILLS

RAAL04

•

Focus work

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m take responsibility for identifying areas of personal interest/learning; • research this area of interest using the Internet as the primary resource in order to identify, access and use material relevant to their chosen learning purpose; and « evaluate the usefulness of resources used and explain their relevance for the identified r purpose.

•

Rationale One of the many advantages of online learning put forward by e-learning advocates is the ability to offer tailormade courses for learners. However, development of an environment that supports individual learning needs as well as group interaction and knowledge construction is not as straightforward as it may at first seem. Often online learning, which depends on group interaction to develop ideas and discuss issues, can only offer a general, broad-brush approach to the content and stated learning outcomes rather than providing for and meeting individual learning needs. This activity encourages the e-learner to take responsibility for identifying their own personal interest/learning needs with reference to the learning outcomes and programme/course content. The aim of this activity is thus to encourage e-learners to pursue their individual interests/learning interests beyond the course content and independently explore issues that are personally relevant. The e-tutor has the opportunity to guide and support his/her learners towards a more independent approach to learning, focusing on several different aspects of the course content at regular intervals throughout the course. The activity provides the e-tutor with an opportunity to assess the learners' ability to take responsibility for their own learning by focusing on their own specific learning interests and needs and undertaking their own self-directed research.

266

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Individual interests/ learning needs Independent research Evaluating resources and their relevance for purpose

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m pOSt a message to your learners to explain the nature of tne activity (SMP ^

Interaction Individual Asynchronous Context Academic course , ,v.-,^w...v.-

Online/blended learning course Activity running throughout a course

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Your e-leamers should: •

identify the general topics they are interested in and send them through to the e-tutor (SMP1).

You should: •

monitor the learner activity and ensure at this stage that they are identifying general areas of interest.

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

identify a specific focus within the general topic area identified in stage one and send it through to their e-tutor (SMP1).

You should: « monitor the learner activity and ensure at this stage that they have chosen a focus which is specific within the context of the programme content and learning outcomes but one that could be further explored and researched at personal/professional level.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: •

compile the notes and bibliography appropriate to the identified focus (SMP1, DR1); and

« send these throuah to the e-tutor.

267

You should: •

provide appropriate feedback that focuses as much on the process of independent learning as on the end product (the notes and bibliography).

Sample message postings It is important in all learning contexts that you, the learner, should take responsibility for your own learning. You will be required during this course to identify [insert number] clearly defined topics that, although related to the course content, are not explored in detail within the programme. These topics may be of personal or professional interest. Identify the general topics You should look carefully at the course programme and learning outcomes for this course. You should then identify those areas in which you are particularly interested and send these general topics to your tutor by [date]. You should ensure you explain clearly to your tutor why you have chosen these general topics and detail how they relate to your specific learning needs. The focus work During the course of each of the general topics you identified, you should aim to identify one particular focus that interests you. This focus should be an area that is not covered in any depth within the course but one which is of a particular personal and/or professional interest to you. Remember this activity aims to focus closely on a specific aspect you are interested in and not a broad-brush approach that covers many different facets. When you have identified your focus you should send it through to your tutor. You should ensure you explain clearly to your tutor why you have chosen this particular focus and detail how it relates to your specific learning needs. The research You should now research this focus and produce a set of notes. Your notes should cover the key issues and possible areas for further exploration. You should add to the notes a short bibliography correctly referencing the five key resources you have used in your research. You should annotate this bibliography with notes to clearly indicate your reasons for choosing each resource (DR1).

268

Dependent resources DR1 My learning need ...

Resource ...

How this resource relates to my learning need ...

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ASSESSINGKNOWLEDGEANDU

RAAL05 •

Quizzical

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: identify key learning points within a specified content area of their course .* develop appropriate questions to review these learning points; and a reflect upon their own strengths and weakness in terms of their understanding of the identified content area(s).

•

Rationale Quizzes have traditionally been used in the classroom as a fun way of providing feedback on learners' progress and understanding. However, traditionally quizzes are usually designed and marked by the tutor. The online context and the accessibility of quiz design software allows for a more learnercentred focus in which the learners themselves create quizzes for each other. This activity also encourages reflection from the learners on their progress to date.

270

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Online quizzes for formative assessment in P^9roups Learner-centred quizzes M Formative assessment

To prepare for the activity you should: m identify the content area(s) that you would like to review with your learners; . , ,_.,- ±, ., • • . . , <• \* » identify the rform the quiz is going to take (seerFor More . ^* i- i \ Information ... for suggested software and free links);

Interaction

•

Pairs/small groups Asynchronous

Contentctsgfd Midway/end of online

put your learners into pairs or small groups (maximum four per group); and

m sencj

your learners a message providing appropriate

instructions on how to design the quiz and ensuring each pair/group has a different content area to focus on (SMP1)

learning course Teenagers/adult learners Online/blended learning courses Assessment activities

Stage one - pair and small group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: H work in pairs/small groups to develop the questionnaire. Yot/should: « monitor and advise accordingly.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: m send you a copy of the completed quiz. You should: « ensure the quizzes are accurate; and m send the quizzes to all the learners in the group (SMP2).

Stage two - independent learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « complete the quizzes sent to them; and •

send you their final score and their individual reflections (DR1) on their progress to date.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « provide an indication of group and individual progress to date.

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Sample message postings SMP1 The aim of this activity is to review the following topics explored in this unit/module X. You should work with your partner/in your small group to prepare an online quiz for your group. These questions should aim to review X. Your will be using the following software to compile your questions: [insert details of software here]. You should send me your completed quiz before [date]. Please do not hesitate to contact me should anything be unclear.

SMP2 You should now complete the quizzes compiled by your online peers. When you have completed the quizzes make a note of your final scores and return them to me. You should also attach a short paragraph reflecting on your progress to date. You should do this before [date].

Dependent resources

Progress summary My final score for the quizzes is...

I am now able to ...

I need to further develop my knowledge and understanding in the following areas...

272

For more information ... There are a number of sites that offer free templates to develop quizzes and others which are commercially available.

Software Create a Quiz, www.pc-shareware.com/quiz.htm 'Create A Quiz allows you to generate your own on-screen interactive quizzes. The program supports multiple choice and fill in the blank style tests. Quizzes can also be printed out for use in conventional pencil/paper tests! Hot Potatoes, http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/hotpot/ The Hot Potatoes suite includes six applications, enabling you to create interactiv multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web. Hot Potatoes is not freeware, but it is free of charge for non-profit educational users who make their pages available on the web. Other users must pay for a licence! From the University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre. Quizzes using Excel, http://homepage.ntlworld.com/neil.williams50/free-resources2.htm Easy Test Maker, www.easytestmaker.com/ 'Easy Test Maker is a FREE online test generator to help you create your tests. With Easy Test Maker you can create multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, short answer and true and false questions all on the same test. You can also insert instructions and divide your test into multiple sections! Question mark, www.questionmark.com/ 'Question Mark software makes it easy for educators and trainers to write, administer and report on assessments, tests, quizzes, exams and surveys using PCs, local area networks, the Internet and intranets! Quia, www.quia.com/ Create your own games and quizzes and explore thousands of others.

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KJwgCTfflKlJfflM^^ RAAL06 •

Summary reflections

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « demonstrate their understanding of a specified topic through reflection; * apply this understanding to their own personal/professional context; and 5 demonstrate their ability to summarize reflective comment into academic prose.

•

Rationale The importance of reflecting on what we are doing, as part of the learning process, has been emphasized by many educationalists and reflective observation is the second stage (in the usual representation) of the Lewin/Kolb learning cycle (Atherton 2004). This activity builds upon the learning journal activity in this section. It includes all the reflective elements introduced in the journal activity but suggests a focus on the course content rather than the learning process. This activity acknowledges that reflection is often a personal process that learners may not always be prepared to share. Thus, the reflective diary in this activity remains personal to the individual learner and allows the learner the privacy and confidentiality to make entries in his/her journal in the knowledge that whatever he/she writes will not be seen by others and will not, in itself, be the raw material that will be assessed. He/she does not have to bear assessment purposes or grading criteria, etc., in mind as the journal entries themselves are written. However, at a later stage, the reflective process and entries made in this diary are drawn upon to produce a focused critical summary for purposes of assessment. The critical summary therefore provides an opportunity for the learner to apply the reflection to a particular focus as required for assessment. The activity as written here assumes a content focus (i.e. application of what has been discussed online, application of what has been read), but this may alternatively be a process focus (i.e. learning, study skills or time management). Experience has shown that it is better that the timescales for this activity concentrate at the unit/topic level rather than the full course in order that the learner remains motivated and concentrated on the required focus.

274

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Summary of a learning log Reflection on content lining

jo prepare for the activity you should:

Interaction Individual

" identify appropriate timescales for this activity; and m prepare guidelines, objectives and assessment criteria

Asynchronous

defineforfocuesofthecriticalreflectionsymmaysummarydefinethefor dfzfd1263;3

(SMP1).

Context Start/midway/end of online learning course Academic course Adult learners Online/blended learning courses Assessment activities

Stage one - completing the reflective journal During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « complete their reflective journal on a regular basis (DR1). You should: « encourage your learners to complete their journals on a regular basis.

Stage two - the critical reflection Vow should: * send your e-learners guidelines for the writing of the critical reflection (SMP2 and DR2). Your e-learners should: •

complete the critical reflection, following the instructions provided. (SMP2 and DR2).

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Yoty should: « remind your learners of the deadline for submission of the assignment; and m remind your learners of the need to summarize the entries in their reflective journal with reference to the specified focus of the assignment.

Stage two - the feedback During this stage of the activity You should: m provide individual feedback to the learners; « compile a general summary of the key issues raised in the submissions; and » post this summary to the open forum for discussion.

275

Sample message postings

SMP1 In this unit we have examined the following:

a) b) c) Your assignment for this unit requires you to focus on the first/second/third of these topics. This assignment takes the form of an [X]-word summary of your daily reflective journal. This summary will constitute a critical reflection of:

a) )

v You should aim to complete your reflective journal on a regular basis (at least three times a week) and you should use the template attached (DR1) for your entries. Guidelines for the summary are to follow.

SMP@ You are now required to write a summary of your diary reflections. This summary should be no more than [X] words and should clearly focus on the requirements of this assignment. Guidelines for writing the summary are attached (DR2).

Dependent resources

DR1 Reflective diary Day/date

Notes (for the tutor)

Critical reflection focus

This should be as defined in the assessment outline and serves to remind the learner to focus their reflections.

2766

What did I learn today?

The learner should be encouraged to focus their learning.

Application of my learning

The learner should be encouraged to apply his/her learning to a particular context (professional, personal, real or imaginary).

Summary points

This section is to help the learner review summary points regularly to assist with writing the final summary.

Writing a critical summary Your critical summary should represent a shortened or condensed version of key issues identified in relation to the specific focus of the assignment, extracted from your reflective diary. * Read back over your reflective diary to gain an overview of the key issues identified. » Highlight or identify the issues raised. m Reference these issues with the specific focus of the assignment. m Arrange any or all connected or related issues within your diary in a logical order. ii Draft the summary, using your notes and list of key points. « Read back over your reflective diary and check that your summary clearly reflects the key issues you had identified. « Write up the final version.

Activity variations/extensions This activity as written assumes that the e-tutor determines the features and focus of the critical reflection. A variation would be for the learners themselves to define the focus of the critical reflection and thus be more centrally involved in the activity.

For more information ... Learning journals and logs, reflective diaries, www.ucd.ie/teaching/good/lea.htm [accessed 12 July 2005] See also: RAAL011 Learning journals

RQ

ASSESSING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

RAAL07 •

Making your portfolio work for you

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • reflect upon their own learning, and evaluate their achievement of the learning outcomes of the course; m reflect upon their own strengths and weaknesses in relation to the learning outcomes of the course; « provide constructive feedback to other learners on their learning, strengths and weaknesses; and • learn from the process of receiving from and providing feedback to their online peers.

• Rationale Portfolios are a very effective method for stimulating, supporting, integrating and assessing learner work. In producing a portfolio the student assembles smaller pieces of work into a large whole, makes connections among the items of work they have done and gives a critical overview of their work and learning. A feature of online portfolio work is the learner's access to the tutor and opportunities for continuous, constructive feedback. Feedback is recognized as one of the key factors leading to successful learning. However, consideration needs to be taken of the tutor workload and the time commitment involved in the feedback process. This activity suggests that the feedback role should not only be undertaken by the tutor but also by the peer group. The focus of the activity is learning through feedback, not just the receiving of constructive comment but also giving the same to one's peers. Clearly, one of the main benefits of this type of peer review is the deeper understanding the learners gain from having to look more closely at the intended learning outcomes, assessment criteria and evidence requirements by critically examining the work of their peers. Another is the exposure to a different perspective or approach to the same task, an effective way of sharing and extending knowledge and ideas.

AA

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Online portfolios Evidence of learning outcomes Peer review of online portfolio evidence

Interaction Individuals and small 9rouP5 Synchronous/ asynchronous

Context

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m identify the learning outcomes that are to be assessed by portfolio submission and appropriate tasks/activities which WJ H enab|e the | earner to demonstrate his/her achievement r

,

,

.,

.... ,

of the learning outcomes identified; * prepare and post the Learning outcomes evidence document to the learners (SMP1) and (DR1); m set regular dates for portfolio draft submission for both tutor and peer review (SMP1; and

« prepare and post guidelines for the learners to provide feedback to their peers. (SMP1) and (DR2).

Start/midway/end of online learning course Academic/work-based learning courses Adult learners Assessment activities

Stage one - individual work and peer review During this stage of the activity Your e-/eorners should: « gather the evidence required to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes; m share his/her portfolio with online colleagues; and « provide feedback on his/her online colleagues' portfolios.

Stage two - tutor review/feedback During this stage of the activity roi/should: m provide constructive feedback to each individual who has submitted evidence to their portfolio; « encourage reflection, review and reworking of the submitted items; and « compile a summary of the key issues for attention and post to the whole group for discussion and comment.

Sample message postings

SMP1 The assessment for this module takes the form of a portfolio of evidence of learning. During the process of gathering the evidence and putting together your portfolio

279

you are also required to give feedback to at least one other of your online colleagues. This same colleague will in turn be providing you with constructive feedback. You will find attached to this message two documents: Learning outcomes - evidence requirements (DR1) outlines the learning outcomes, the assessment criteria and the evidence requirements that you need to achieve in order to pass this module. You should look at this carefully to ensure you understand what is required of you. 'Guidelines for giving constructive feedback on your peers' portfolios' (DR2) provides bullet point suggestions of how to provide feedback to your online colleague. Please read and reflect on these points carefully when it comes to giving your colleague his/her feedback. This feedback is an important part of the learning process and you will not only learn from the feedback from your online colleague but also from the process of reflecting on someone else's portfolio and providing feedback on it.

Dependent resources DR1 Learning outcomes - evidence requirements The table below outlines the learning outcomes, the assessment criteria and the evidence requirements that you need to achieve in order to pass this module. You should refer to this table as you compile your evidence to ensure that what you are attaching to your portfolio is what is required of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Learning outcomes

Assessment criteria

Evidence requirements

Dr2 Guidelines for giving constructive feedback on your peer's portfolios Feedback is an important part of the learning process and the responsibility for constructive feedback does not always have to fall to the tutor. You too can provide constructive feedback to your peers. Through this process you will not only learn from the feedback provided by your 280

peers but you will also learn from providing support and guidance to someone else.

A few guidelines for giving feedback: • Start with positive feedback. • Be clear and don't beat about the bush. If you think it was 'great1 or 'excellent' or 'admirable' or 'very stimulating', then say so. si Be honest, as well as truthful. H Next, identify any weaknesses or problems constructively. • Be specific and try to give examples of where you think the work could be improved. Yout may, for example, be able to provide an example or clarification from your own work. • Be constructive - suggest how the work could be improved. « Be kind - specific is kind. Constructive is kind. 'Poor1 scribbled at the bottom is cruel. « End on a positive note of encouragement. (Adapted from Gurnam Singh, Assessment in Social Work hwww.swap.ac.uk/learning/assesssw3.asp)

For more information ... Changing Assessment to Improve Learning, Summary of the final interactive keynote session led by Professor Phil Race at the 1st Northumbria Assessment Conference, UK on 6 September 1996, www.city.londonmet.ac.uk/deliberations/assessment/keynote.html [accessed 12 July 2005]

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assessing knowledge and understanding

RAAL08

Together we stand or fall

The activity is based on an innovative teaching and learning project undertaken by Dr John Issit at the University of York.

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « participate effectively in planning, implementing and reviewing an assessment task involving both individual and collaborative work; m evaluate the contribution made by themselves and others within an online group activity.

•

Rationale The Internet as a communication medium has tremendous potential as a tool to enable collaborative activity online, and as such lends itself well to the use of coursework assessment involving group tasks. However, e-learners do not necessarily know how to work in groups. After years of working independently and competitively, they may find cooperation and collaboration difficult concepts to accept in an academic setting. They may be so accustomed to individual grades that it may not be obvious to them how to work together when their grade depends, in part, on the performance of other students in the group. This may undermine the effectiveness of your collaborative assignment and keep students from meeting the objectives of the group activity. For example, if each of the four students working together on a newsletter treat the project as an individual assignment rather than synthesizing their efforts, the final product will be disjointed rather than seamless. Moreover, the students in such a group are unlikely to learn how to make effective use of the experience. The way that marks are assigned for work can make this situation worse. If the allocation of marks is based solely on individual elements within the group product, for example for the individual contributions to a group presentation, then the tendency is for the learning intended as an aim behind the collaborative activity to be lost. However, if marks are based solely on the collective whole then bad feeling and unfairness can arise out of the fact that differentials in effort applied to the work and contributions made are not reflected in the resulting mark. This activity borrows a 'formula' from the face-to-face teaching context that is designed to address this issue and applies it within an extended online activity where the work invested in the preparation of the assessed work both engages the e-learners in learning activity and results in the 'product' that is assessed.

282

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Collaborative assessment Peer and self-assessment

To prepare for the activity you should: m identify a collaborative assessment activity where there

Assessment of process and

will be both individual and collaborative elements to

roduct

P . . . . Interaction Individual and small group Asynchronous

the work; « make decisions about the timescales for each stage of the activity; and « divide your e-learners into small groups.

Context Adult learners Collaborative learning courses Academic courses Work-based learning courses Assessment activities

Stage one - whole-group activity: setting the assignment up During this stage of the activity You should: « explain the assessment task « clarify the assessment process and explain the marking formula - with particular focus on the self- and peer-assessment element (SMPl)! m get the learners to start the work for the assessment activity, explaining that they should create a plan of action giving attention both to the overall product and the individual compents and responsibilities (SMP2). 11 present or negotiate the criteria for the self- and peer-assessment element.

Stage two - small group activity: planning and implementing the collaborative work Your e-learners should: « follow the guidance given to them (SMP2) and use the group forum to plan: n the overall plan for the group presentation; n the individual contributions to be made by each group member; and n the plan of action for the activity of the group and timescales to be met, leaving time to pull individual elements into a coherent group whole; « carry out the individual work assigned to them within the group planning process and prepare their particular section of the overall presentation; and « collaborate on pulling the individual elements together within the final group presentation. You should: « be ready to respond to any requests for clarification; and « remind each group of the deadline for completing each stage of the preparation of the presentation.

|jj|j

Stage three - tutor, self- and peer assessment You should: « assess the overall quality of the group presentations, assigning a mark for the quality of the whole, and separate marks for each of the individual elements; • send each student a copy of the assessment sheet drawn up on the basis of assessment criteria agreed at the start of the activity (DR1); « ask them to assign a mark out of ten for each group member against each of the criteria (SMP3);and « give a deadline for completion and return of the marking sheets. Youre-learners should: • reflect on the preparation work undertaken by the group, revisit the online forum where discussions and work took place and review the record this represents in order to evaluate the amount and quality of the contribution made by each group member; M assign a mark out often for each group member against each of the criteria (DR1); m include marks to reflect their own self-assessment of the contribution they themselves made; and ii return the marking sheets to the e-tutor by the given deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: • collect the marksheets from each individual; and m use the information to calculate the marks using the formula in SMP1.

Sample message postings The assessment task and assessment process Attached to this message are the instructions for the assignment that you and your online colleagues should complete for this course. You will see that you are to prepare and present a group presentation such that each group member has responsibility for completing one part of the whole group presentation. The marks for each of you will made up of: • an individual mark for your own personal element of the group presentation this will count as 50 per cent of your final mark; and • a process mark, which will reflect both the quality of the overall group presentation as a whole and your individual contribution to the process and work of production - this will count as the other 50 per cent of your final mark and will include both tutor assessment of the complete presentation and peer assessment reflecting your contribution to the process of producing the work. The process mark will be calculated as follows*: Tutor mark for the quality of the complete presentation

Individual mark from peer assessment Group mark from peer assessment

284

SMP@

Group planning, individual implementation and collaborative review Group planning The planning phase will be a key element in your success in this task. You should work within your small group to put together the plans to produce the presentation assigned to you. This planning will form the basis for the reading, exploration and preparation of the presentation. You need to establish a way of working that will enable both individual and group aspects of the work to be achieved: The group needs to: » identify the overall focus, aim and structure of the presentation assigned to you; • agree as a group when and how you will communicate to pool ideas and discuss the plans for the presentation; • agree on a timeframe for the completion of the individual activity so that as a group you will complete the work on time; and • agree who will do what - different people in the group should take on responsibility for different parts of the presentation and different elements of the group process. Each individual needs to: « be prepared to be flexible and creative and willing to adapt their ideas (where necessary) to the overall group theme that is agreed by the group; and • contribute fully to the planning work of the group.

Individual implementation Each group member should make sure they have a clear idea of their own responsibilities, the contributions expected of them and the part of the presentation that they are to prepare. They will each be marked for the quality of their individual section, but they should also ensure that they keep to the agreed timeframe for their element of the preparatory work so that there is time for the collaborative review period which will pull all the individual elements into a collective presentation that hangs together well. Collaborative review Before final completion of the presentation everyone should pull together to: » review and edit the individual contributions to the group presentation in order to improve both each other's individual work and the overall presentation; « ensure that the overall presentation 'hangs together' and comes across as one complete whole and does not look like a patchwork quilt(!); and • learn from the work undertaken by your online colleagues through this process of reading and editing their work. SMP3

As we discussed earlier, this activity is designed to ensure that not only does the tutor evaluate the finished results of the presentation, but there is a chance for peer assessment of the individual contributions to the process and work of producing the presentation. This is the stage at which peer assessment and self-assessment comes in. Attached to this message is a marksheet containing the names of the other members of your presentation group and the assessment criteria to be used for peer and selfassessment.

^mA

You should: • reflect on the preparation work undertaken by the group and the amount and quality of the contribution made by each group member; and » assign a mark out of ten for each group member against each of the criteria. You should also: • reflect on the amount and quality of your own contribution to the preparation work undertaken by the group; and » assign a mark out of ten for yourself against each of the criteria. Then return the marking sheets to the e-tutor by the given deadline.

Dependent resources DR1 Marksheet template for peer assessment - insert student names and the assessment criteria agreed during stage one of the activity Student names Criteria 1: Criteria 2: Criteria 3: Criteria 4: Criteria 5: Criteria 6: Criteria 7: Criteria 8: Criteria 9: Criteria 10:

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Activity variations/extensions If working in a blended learning context, you might use a face-to-face session to prepare your e-learners to work together as a team. An appropriate activity might be a team-building activity such as one where all members of the team have to work together to construct something, followed by a debriefing or a discussion of the group dynamics that surface during the exercise. Such an activity helps learners to recognize each other's strengths and work styles, and makes them more aware of the internal resources their group might draw on for a more serious project. Any in-class group activity that requires all the members of the group to work together to achieve a common goal can be used as a starting point for a discussion of group dynamics. For students on certain work-related courses, a good focus for this activity would be the development of a strategy or recovery plan for a failing business. Ideally, the e-learners themselves should be involved in working with the others in the group to select a set of actual criteria to be used in self- and peer assessment of contribution to collaborative activity/group product.

Note * This assessment is based on a formula that has been shown to be fair by pilot research at York University.

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ENGAGING LEARNERS WITH THE LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS

RAAL09

Negotiated assessment criteria

Activity contributed by Mark A. Pegrum

•

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « discuss the aims and outcomes of the learning process; « explain the role of assessment in the learning process and the nature and functions of assessment criteria; * devise assessment criteria that are appropriate for a given learning situation; and m use these criteria for peer and/or self-assessment.

• Rationale Playing a role in determining the criteria for their own peer and/or self-assessments encourages students to reflect carefully on the aims of their learning and the standards for judging their success in meeting these. Giving students a stake in their own assessment in this manner is very empowering, since it encourages them to take ownership of - and hence responsibility for - not only the assessment criteria themselves but their learning in general, which in turn promotes learner autonomy. The activity may be of particular value on teacher training courses. Using a text-based discussion board for this activity means that students can work on it over a long period, taking time to reflect on the comments of other students and returning to make their own suggestions at regular intervals. The facility for developing separate threads of discussion means that difficult or controversial aspects of the assessment instrument can be considered separately and (re-)integrated into the whole document at an appropriate time. The group's thinking about assessment should evolve over the course of the activity as students attempt to reach an eventual consensus. If the whole discussion is archived, students and the tutor can easily review progress. The fact that learners only find out whom they will be assessing at the last minute ensures that the assessment instrument is prepared for general use with the group, rather than with any particular learner or learners in mind. If constructed well, it should be possible to use it as a fair assessment instrument for learners of any level of ability or performance within the given context.

288

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Learner negotiation of assessment criteria re

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m construct a small group forum where students can develop their

° e ^C<^U''*•

aims and objectives

Peer and/or selfassessments Interaction

own assessment form (i.e. marking sheet) for the course; m

(0Pt\ona\\y) devise a pro forma for the assessment form; « (optionally) provide sample assessment forms as a starting point for discussion; post a clear set of instructions (e.g. SMP1) explaining to B

Whole group

.

Asynchronous

« . , Context Experienced learners who are ready to reflect on the criteria for success in their course Blended learning contexts or wholly online contexts Academic courses Assessment activities

m

students: n that they will be asked as a group to develop their own assessment form for the course; , , , . . . . D that they need to devise a PPr°Pnate categories, questions and criteria f°r the assessment form (they may need guidenes on areas to '' consider, maximum and minimum numbers of questions, length of time for preparation, etc.); and n that they must make a certain minimum number of contributions to the discussion (e.g. one contribution a week over a term or semester); indicate to students that the mutually agreed-upon assessment form wj | ( be usedi after approva| by yoU( as tne Dasis for tneir peef assessments ( e _ g SMP2) anc j/ or

their self-assessments (e.g.

SMP3); « (optionally) indicate to students that they will be assessed on their participation in the discussion (e.g. SMP4); and » decide the timescales for each stage of the activity and the deadlines groups and individual e-learners will need to meet for the activity to be successful. To prepare for the activity your e-learners should: • review any relevant readings on assessment; and m reflect on recent learning on this and other courses, considering the nature of the learning objectives, what they as students did well and what less well, and what kind of evidence of their learning they could provide if asked to do so.

Stage one - whole-group learning: negotiating assessment This stage of the activity takes place at the start of the course.

During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: • work with fellow students in the small group forum; and « the group will need to: D decide whether to retain, modify or reject the format of the pro forma or sample forms; a brainstorm suggestions for categories, questions and criteria to be included;

289

n discuss and agree on key categories, questions and criteria; n insert key categories, questions and criteria into the pro forma or an alternative format; and n modify the format, categories, questions and criteria until the group as a whole is satisfied that they are suitable for assessment of learning on this course. You should: « monitor the small group forums, intervening to offer guidance as necessary; and • encourage each group to complete this work and reach an agreement by the assigned deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Youre-learners should: * assign a representative to submit a final draft of the assessment form for review by you; * (if required) make any necessary revisions as a group; and * (if required) assign a representative to submit a revised draft of the assessment form for review by you, etc. You should: « review the final draft of the assessment form submitted; m discuss your overall response, giving praise for strengths and making suggestions for any changes you may feel are necessary; and « agree with the group on the final revised draft of the assessment form.

Stage two - individual learning: conducting peer assessment This stage takes place towards the end of the course.

During this stage of the activity You should: • •

refer students back to the information about peer assessments (SMP2); make decisions about groupings/pairings for the peer assessment and prepare messages to communicate this information to the e-learners, remembering to: n assign two or more assessees to each student so that each person is being assessed by at least two (though ideally three) of his/her peers; n stress that the identity of the assessors will be known only to you and not revealed to the assessees; D stress that the assessment forms themselves are confidential and will not be passed on to the assessees; and n assure students that both summaries and grades/marks will be modified/moderated as necessary by you before being finalized and passed on to assesses;

« be available to help any students who have questions or concerns during the peer assessment period; and « encourage each individual to complete this work by the assigned deadline.

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Your e-learners should: • fill out a copy of the final assessment form as a peer assessment for each student assigned to them, which means: n filling in a copy of the form privately and confidentially for each assessee;

n writing a short feedback report to be given anonymously to each assessee; and n submitting these documents to you, together with comments on anything in the assessment process that was found to be difficult.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « collect and collate the rpeer assessments; m modify the feedback summaries as necessary, if possible in consultation with the assessors, in order to avoid potential unfairness or offence; « moderate the grades/marks as necessary, if possible in consultation with the assessors, in order to ensure equitable marking; m compose an anonymous peer feedback sheet for each assessee, containing copies of (modified) feedback summaries along with an average (moderated) final grade/mark; « offer to discuss queries or disagreements with assessees; and « record the final results.

Stage three - individual learning: conducting self-assessment During this stage of the activity you should: « refer students back to the information about self-assessment (SMP3). Your e-learners should: « fill out a copy of the agreed-upon final assessment form as a self-assessment, which means: n filling in a copy of the assessment form privately; and n submitting the completed document to you.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: » collect the self-assessments; m respond privately to each student's self-assessment; m moderate the grade/mark as necessary, in consultation with each student, in order to ensure equitable marking; and » record the final results.

Sample message postings

On the basis of your knowledge and experience of assessment, you will be asked to contribute to the design of an assessment form (i.e. marking sheet) for this course. This means that, in conjunction with the other members of the group and with the guidance of the e-tutor, you will be able to determine assessment criteria for student performance in the class. As a result, the student group will 'own' the criteria, since all members will have invested their ideas and expectations in the creation of these. This process will take place in the small group forum, where you will find a pro forma that the group may or may not wish to use as the basis of the assessment form,

^m

along with some sample assessment forms which may provide some inspiration. You should generally make at least one contribution to the discussion each week [as your participation will itself form part of the assessment for this class]. Of course, you may comment as often and extensively as you wish - and after all, the more you say now, the more chance you have of ensuring that your views help to shape the assessment criteria. The e-tutor will look in occasionally on the discussion and may offer some guidance where appropriate. Establishment of the final form is, however, the group's responsibility.

By [date], the group needs to have agreed on the list of categories, questions and criteria as well as the format in which these are to be presented. One member of the group should be nominated to email the e-tutor with the final version. Subject to the e-tutor's approval, this version will then be used as the form that students will be asked to fill out for the peer assessment reports and the self-assessment report.

The peer assessment report is designed to encourage you to think about your peers' performance in and contribution to the class, and ultimately to make your own participation more reflective, given that you know your peers will also be asked to assess you. It will give you practice in writing feedback that is honest while being as constructive as possible. Towards the end of the course the e-tutor will give you a list of students for whom you are to fill out a peer assessment form. You will normally be asked to write [number] of these. If you have worked on any small group activities during the course it is likely that you will be asked to assess some or all of your group members. You should simply download the agreed assessment form on to your local PC, where you can fill in a copy for each student whom you are assessing. After completing each report, you should add a final section giving a summary of your main comments on the student being assessed. This summary will be passed on anonymously to the student when all reports have been collated, after vetting by the e-tutor. Both the forms and the summaries should be returned electronically to your e-tutor by [date]. When all of the reports have been collated, you, too, will receive a collection of feedback reports from other students in your group, along with an overall peer assessment mark determined by the e-tutor on the basis of the full reports and his/her own observations of your work. This mark will have been moderated to ensure conformity with the established marking scheme and parity across the course.

The self-assessment report is designed to encourage you to monitor and comment on your own progress. It is hoped that it will allow you to identify clearly your own strengths as a learner, as well as the areas where you could improve. The completed self-assessment report should be returned electronically to the e-tutor by [date]. Your final grade/mark will be determined in discussion with the etutor, who may moderate your initial grade/mark in light of his/her assessment of your performance, and in order to ensure conformity with the established marking scheme and parity across the course.

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SMP 4 The e-tutor will also award each student a mark based on his/her participation in and contributions to the small group forum. This will be a holistic judgment based on the following criteria: m degree of participation; * originality of ideas; * appropriateness of suggestions; » rigour of argumentation; * coherence of argumentation; m clarity of expression; m willingness to engage in discussion and debate; m willingness to work towards convergence of viewpoints; m sensitivity to others and to the group atmosphere when critiquing or responding to others; and m overall contribution to the finished product.

Dependent resources The nature of any assessment pro forma depends very much on the course of study. Students can be given copies of past assessment forms as models or sources of inspiration for their own form.

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engaging learners with the learning and assessment process

RAAL010 •

Peer review for assessment and learning

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • develop their skills of analysis and the ability to identify the strong and weak aspects of a piece of written work; • develop their ability to give constructive criticism; and ii improve their understanding of their own learning on the course through analysis of the work of others.

•

Rationale This assessment activity is deliberately designed to involve a fair amount of work on the part of the e-learners, taking the view that courses should provide enough assessed tasks to capture sufficient learner study time for effective learning on the course: This issue concerns how much time and effort students allocate: the 'time on task' principle (Chickering and Garrison, 1987) that if students don't spend enough time on something they won't learn it. Berliner (1984), summarising research in the 'time on task' principle, concluded that there was strong empirical evidence of a direct relationship between time allocation by courses, student time management and actual student time on task, on the one hand, and student achievement on the other. (Gibbs and Simpson, 9) The activity is also designed to make the most of the communication opportunities of the Internet to engage e-learners in the provision of formative feedback to each other, through peer assessment of each other's work. However, this activity is not intended as a labour-saving strategy to cut-down on tutor time. The approach taken has the aim of actively engaging students with analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of work done by their fellow learners, relating the quality of this work by their peers to their own learning and understanding of issues covered on the course. The underlying principle is that such active engagement will have more impact on e-learners' own future work and performance. Research suggests that the benefit learners gain from simply receiving tutor feedback on work is limited but the loop input 1 (Woodward 1991) involved in assessing e-learners for the quality of their assessment and feedback on the work produced by their online colleagues encourages deep learning, with the intention that the feed6ac/r will become feed/bwarc/for their own future performance: the real value may lie in students internalising the standards expected so that they can supervise themselves and improve the quality of their own assignments prior to submitting them.

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(Gibbs and Simpson, 17-18)

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Peer assessment Critical friend review Analytical thinking Evaluation Interaction /nd/v/duo/

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m identify and set an assignment related to the course content that will result in learner work which will be appropriate for the peer assessment process; and » plan the timescales for the complete assessment process and the deadlines for each stage.

Asynchronous Context Academic courses Midway through the course; prior to learners embarking on final assessment

X\du/f learners /Assessmen t activities

Stage one - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « act on instructions (SMP1) to complete their own work for the assigned task; and « submit this work to their e-tutor by the stipulated deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « collect the work completed as a first assignment on your course; • anonymize this work and use the email facility to distribute the work amongst the e-learners, making sure learners do not receive their own work; and « send out the instructions for the peer review in the next stage of the activity (SMP2).

Stage two - individual learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « act on instructions (SMP2) to review the work received by email from the e-tutor; m submit this critical friend review to their e-tutor by the stipulated deadline.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m collect the peer reviews submitted by the students; this critical friend review will form the assessed work for the module and should be handled according to usual assessment processes; and « assess these peer reviews, using the assessment/grading criteria used on the course.

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Sample message postings SMP1 Attached to this message are the instructions for the first assignment for this part of the course [attach relevant assignment instructions]. Access and follow the instructions to complete the work assigned. Remember to keep the learning outcomes in mind as you complete the work. The deadline for completion of this work is [date]. Submit the work to your e-tutor by this date, following the given instructions. SMP@ Critical friend review Attached is a piece of work for which you should provide critical friend review. As part of this review you should: • read and review the draft of work completed to date, offering comments and advice where appropriate; « put forward alternative ideas or viewpoints that might be considered; « help with any points of structure and/or writing style, in particular concerning accuracy of English; • suggest additional resources that might be consulted - this may involve conducting a search of any sources of information which the writer may not have been able to access; and m consider the quality of the work and suggest ways in which the work could be improved in relation to the standards expected on your course. On the basis of this analysis, write a critique of the work done, and submit this to the tutor by [date]. Remember that it is this critical friend review which will, in fact, form the assessed piece of work for this part of the course and thus that you should do your best to ensure your critique is in line with the course grading criteria.

For more information ... Does your assessment support your students'learning?, by Graham Gibbs and Claire Simpson, Centre for Higher Education Practice, Open University, www.open.ac.uk/science/fdtl/documents/lit-review.pdf [accessed 12 July 2005]

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ENGAGING LEARNERS WITH THE LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS RAALO11

•

Learning journals

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m reflect on the learning they have gained from their e-learning course and the skills that they are developing; and m enhance their own reflection by engaging in a group forum, sharing points from their individual reflective journals with others.

•

Rationale The keeping of a reflective journal or learning log can form an important element of reflective practice and has been shown (Morrison 1995) to increase motivation and confidence, help develop greater self-awareness and improved professional skills and to enhance understanding of the links between theory and practice.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Learning journals

To prepare for the activity you should:

Continuous assessment of progress in learning

m

Interaction Individual and whole

* identify the assessment criteria that will be used to assess this part of the course and ensure that these are

9rouP Asynchronous

m

Context Adult learners

to clarify what the activity involves (SMP1, SMP2); and • ensure provision of a group forum area for discussion of

Academic and workbased learning courses Start/midway/end of online learning course Assessment activities

identify a timescale for the overall learning journal activity , .. , . . . and milestones for completion of interim entries;

communicated to the e-learners; prepare instructions and an explanation for your e-learners

points emerging within individual reflective journals.

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Stage one - individual and small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « access and act on instructions for the activity (SMP1) and look at the learning journal example attached to it (DR1); m start their learning journal; and « contribute one or two key points to the group forum discussion called key learning points. You should: • be ready to respond to any requests for clarification; and K facilitate the discussion in the group forum discussion called key learning points.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: • remind your e-learners of the dates agreed for interim updates of their learning journals; and • send your e-learners the instructions for these interim updates (SMP2).

Stage two - individual and small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: • access and act on instructions for the interim updates of their learning journals (SMP2); • update their learning journal; and m continue to participate in the group forum discussion called key learning points, sharing key points from their learning journals. You should: m be ready to respond to any requests for clarification; and « continue to facilitate the discussion in the group forum discussion called Key learning points, ensuring that the discussion moves forward and addresses issues appropriate to the different points in the course as it develops.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

remind your e-learners of the end date of the course and the deadline for submission of

the learning journals for assessment; and « assess the submitted learning journals in accordance with arrangements in your own professional context.

Sample message postings SMP! 1S2&

As part of the assessment process and in order to encourage good practice, you are asked to keep a learning journal during this course. This is a personal record of your own learning. At the end of the course you will be asked to submit evidence from

your journal to show that you have critically reflected upon what you have learned. One of the most important things to include is how what you have learned is relevant to you and how you will use the new knowledge/skill, etc., in the future. Your learning journal remains personal to you. However, we can develop our understanding by also sharing insights, questions and concerns with others. A group forum discussion called key learning points, related to the subject of learning about online learning and teaching, will run alongside your personal record. You are asked to select a couple of points from your journal that you would like to share, and to respond to those sent in by others. Your task Look at the Learning journal example (DR1) Start your learning journal. Contribute one or two key points to the group forum discussion called key learning points. The following questions might help to get you started on the reflective process: m What could have been improved about the introductory sessions on this course? How would you plan to do this with your students? • What have you enjoyed so far and what don't you like about online learning? « Did the collaborative aspects of this unit work well? Could you have set this up better or responded better? « Could more be done to encourage low participators? « Who are you learning from?

Now is the point when you should take some time to consolidate, reflect and review, and also to catch up on any tasks that you have not yet completed or discussion threads you may not have fully contributed to. It is also time to return to your learning journal and spend a little more time reflecting on the value of this course and on its usefulness to you for future online teaching and learning. Your task Complete any activities that you have not finished. Revisit any discussion forums that interest you and make your contribution. Catch up on your learning journal. Consider the following questions: « How is your time management going? » How did the last group activity work? i Have you found the activities useful? Email your tutor if you are having any difficulties with the course. Contribute one or two key points about your experience to the group forum discussion called key learning points.

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Dependent resources DR1 Learning journal example Date of entry Brief description of your recent online learning activity (fewer than 30 words)

What worked well? What could be improved? What did you learn? Reflection on personal experience Learning from reflections What will you do differently in future?

Activity variations/extensions As a variation of the basic learning journal activity, the assessment stage can involve submission of a summary of key learning points emerging within the journal rather than the journal itself. In this case e-learners would be asked to reflect on what they had learned and critically analyse their learning journal entries to identify points related to the particular intended learning outcomes associated with the task. These might focus on: « the development of their own subject knowledge and understanding; « skills required of the e-learner to successfully and effectively learn online and participate in online discussion; and m key issues to consider when participating in an online group and when engaging in individual learning activities.

For more information ...

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Learning journals and logs, reflective diaries, www.ucd.ie/teaching/good/lea.htm [accessed 12 July 2005] See also: RAAL06 Summary reflections

engaging learners with the learnin and assessment process

RAAL012

•

Redrafting for success

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m exercise personal responsibility in planning and managing their own learning, towards an identified deadline for final submission of work; « reflect on the strengths in their work and the guidance given on areas for improvement in order to identify strategies to develop their skills for study; and •

•

act on feedback in order to improve the quality of their work.

Rationale The traditional view of a course assignment would be of a piece of work submitted on completion of a period of study, and understood as the summative assessment of the achievement and learning gained. Opportunities for review, improvement and resubmission may, in fact, only be open to those whose work is of such a poor standard that they do not achieve a 'Pass' on first submission. However, redrafting and revision is part of the normal writing process, and this activity aims to exploit the fact that the electronic world takes the effort out of redrafting and rewriting to improve work. Online communication makes it easier for e-tutors to have a look at drafts of work, and word-processing software allows learners to manipulate and 'play' with the format, organization and wording of work they do in a way that was simply not possible for previous generations, certainly not with the ease and efficiency that learners enjoy today. This activity combines these advantages with the enhanced opportunities and strategies for collaborative working on a document or task independently of place and time that the Internet offers. Using the power of the Internet, assessed work becomes not solely a means of summatively measuring achievement within a final 'product', but also a formative and developmental process of learning through skills development and improvement through redrafting.

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Guidelinesfortheetutor

focuspreparationfortheactivity Learner-managed learning Reviewing and redrafting work

To prepare for the activity you should: « identify the deadline for completion of the work to be undertaken on the course; •

plan a schedule showing when you will access the work

Interaction

undertaken by the individual e-learners on your course;

Individual

« plan a means by which you will keep records of the work

Asynchronous Context , . rt , Students o n a n academic course Throughout an online course

seen, the feedback given to the individual e-learners and the points for improvement suggested; and , , . . ,, £ • prepare a message for your e-learners explaining the 3 7 r a approach to be taken for feedback and redrafting of work (SMP1).

Stage one - individual learning: first drafts During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: •

read the instructions about the learning and feedback process on the course (SMP1);

« access the instructions for tasks and map out a plan of when they will work on each task; •

and carry out the work and give access to the e-tutor when requested to do so.

You should: • •

ask to see the work of individual e-learners at regular intervals throughout the course; assess and give feedback on each piece of work, suggesting ways in which the work could be improved, providing guidance on how to approach the tasks and trying to help with any problems; and

•

keep records of the work seen, the feedback given to the individual e-learners, and the points for improvement suggested.

Stage two - individual learning: redrafts of work During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: « look at the feedback on work received from their e-tutor; « act on the feedback and implement advice as to how the work might be improved; and sc ensure that the e-tutor gets access to the redrafted work, with a note indicating the improvements made. You should: m look at your records of the work seen from an individual e-learner and note the feedback previously given and the points for improvement suggested;

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« look at the redrafted work, paying particular attention to the improvements made in response to your previous feedback; » give further feedback on the work, commenting on improvements made, identifying remaining problems and/or suggesting further ways in which the work could be enhanced (SMP2);and m update your records of the work seen, the improvements made since earlier drafts and further feedback.-

Drawing the activity to a close You should: m remind the e-learners of the deadline for final submission of the portfolio of work and of the list of tasks to be included; and •

contact any individual e-learners who you feel are in danger of failing to complete by the deadline given and discuss how to address the problems they have had.

Your e-learners should: m check that, where possible, they have acted on the feedback received from the e-tutor as to how each task could be improved; and « ensure that all tasks are completed by the final deadline and submitted within their portfolio of work.

Sample message postings . The work for this course consists of a series of tasks, all of which should be completed and submitted as a portfolio of work by [insert end-of-course deadline here]. The instructions for the tasks can be found [insert details of where tasks are stored]. To show work in progress to your e-tutor you should [insert instructions as to where/how you will access the work of individual e-learners]. There are no set deadlines for each individual activity, and you can draft and redraft your work as many times as you like, but it is your responsibility to make sure that all the work is completed by the deadline given above. You should: « look through the instructions for all the tasks you have to do; « work out a personal timetable showing when you personally plan to work on each task; « allow yourself time to complete at least one redraft of the work for each task; « give your e-tutor access to your work whenever you are asked to do so; and « act on the feedback from your e-tutor and implement advice as to how the work might be improved. Your e-tutor will: m ask to see your work at regular intervals throughout the duration of the course; » assess and give feedback on your work, suggesting ways in which it could be improved; and • provide guidance on how to approach the task and try to help with any

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problems. Note: you should expect advice on improvements to your work each time your tutor gives you feedback. This should not be taken as criticism but as a reflection of the fact that editing and redrafting are a natural part of the production of any piece of writing and that things can always be improved! © This 'iterative' way of working means that you will visit and revisit activities and topics rather than simply moving through the module in a linear fashion. This last point cannot be overestimated as it is a particular feature of asynchronous Internetsupported learning. When you decide that you have finished improving any piece of work you can send it to 'Submitted work1, or you can store the final version in your portfolio of work. You can do this at any stage during the year, but do not have to submit until the final submission date given above.

Shirley Bennett 14 Nov 2002, 23:59 Unit 4 Task 4, updated Thanks for trying to improve this work, R The organization of ideas is improved, but the work still contains a number of incomplete sentences. The following are all incomplete sentences: m 'If a teacher has concerns about a child's educational development and feels that the child should be assessed, for a Statement.' This is a 'subordinate clause', and you may remember that such clauses must be joined to a main clause within a single sentence. In this case it would join to the following within a single sentence: 'They would speak with the schools SENCO and a meeting would be arranged with them and the child's parents.' m 'Where permission would be sought from the child's parents to refer the child to the Educational Psychologist for an assessment of the child's needs.' This is another subordinate clause, one that should be joined to the previous main clause. m 'Then recommend if a Statement should be granted and if so, which Band and the number of hours of extra support the child should receive.' This should be joined to the sentence before. It will be very important to improve this aspect of your writing, R It is vital to get your sentence structure sorted out. Have you tried using the grammar check in Word? This will usually flag up problems such as these ... then it's just practise, practise, practise, until you get a 'feel' for what a complete complex sentence sounds like and how they are put together. All the best, Shirley Shirley Bennett 31 Oct2002, 11:55 Unit 4 Task 4 I suggest you revisit this as evidence for this task. In your introductory section you do describe the flow of ideas within your writing, but there are problems in terms of sentence and paragraph construction. Things to look at would include: |f{fl

1. Sentence structure itself - there are many examples of incomplete sentences in this text.

2. Grouping of ideas and text structure - the overall structure of the text needs attention. If the ideas are not grouped together sensibly then paragraph structure will itself suffer. Once you have improved the grouping of ideas into paragraphs, you will be better able to identify a topic sentence in your paragraphs. You will not have time to improve the whole text, so if you choose to improve this task, I suggest you concentrate on one part of the text. All the best, Shirley

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6

Resources for dealing with the unexpected

Dealing with the unexpected Patterns of participation p. 308

RDU1 Just browsing p. 308

RDU2 Take a back seat p. 312

RDU3 Twists of fate p. 315

RDU4 Chat time p. 318

306

Avoiding and handling disagreements

Enabling student representation online

p. 321

p. 330

RDU5 A question of culture

RDU8 Listening to the learner voice

p. 321

p. 330

RDU6 A joke is a joke was that funny?

RDU9 Suggestion box

p. 325

RDU7 Flaming practice p. 327

p. 334

The resources in this section will alert the e-tutor to problems that can arise in the implementation of online learning courses and suggest effective strategies for addressing and avoiding such eventualities. The 'unexpected1 is almost inevitable with such a new mode of learning and in a situation where most practitioners as tutors do not have that background of online learning experience upon which to draw in the same way as trainee teachers starting out in classroom teaching can draw upon their personal classroom learning experiences which will date back from their early years at school. (Bennett and Marsh 2002). The resources in this section present creative strategies for the 'expected unexpected1 and thereby equip the new e-tutor with an understanding that we hope will be applicable to the different realities they will face in their own online teaching contexts. Matters that will be addressed include those arising out of the life situations and personalities of learners and the reliability (or otherwise) of technology. Ideas are suggested for anticipating challenges resulting from differing work patterns of learners on courses involving asynchronous communication, overactive participants, 'lurkers', 'flaming' and the importance of cultural sensitivity in the online environment.

See also: RBC1 Finding your way around ... actively! RBC5 Time for tea? RPUOL5 Expectations rematch

RPUOL6 Dynamics or dynamite RPUOL7 The need for netiquette RPUOL8 Our online community agreeing the house rules

PATTERNS OF PARTICIPTION

RDU1 •

Just browsing

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « identify their own reasons for contribution or non-contribution to the online discussion; » understand the reasons their online peers have for contribution or non-contribution to the online discussion; and

m identify strategies to ensure their own and others' contribution to the online discussion.

•

Rationale In any group working and learning context there will always be those who are very active participants and those who prefer to stand back and appear more reluctant to join the discussion. Often called 'browsers' or lurkers', these participants need to be gently encouraged to join the discussion and the tutor has to ensure the online atmosphere is conducive to participants feeling safe to express opinions and views. However, sometimes the presence of a browser or lurker can have a detrimental effect on the building of effective learning relationships in the group. More active participants may be critical of what they observe as somebody not pulling their weight in the online discussions. This activity encourages learners to reflect on their own reasons for contribution and noncontribution to online discussions. It also helps generate a greater understanding within the group of each other's interaction preferences and styles. Ideally this activity should be carried out in the early stages of the course, for example once the learners have been online for a few weeks.

308

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Browsersandlurkers Barriers to participation in online discussion Encouraging participation in online discussion

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: m send a message to your learners explaining the nature Of tne activity (SMP1).

Interaction Individual Whole group

Context Ear/y w/Wn on//ne course l/l//7ere differen t pa tterns of participation in online discussion become a problem within the group Problem solving

Stage one - individual work During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: ii complete the activity template (DR1) for the week(s) specified; and « send the completed activity template to you by the end of the week(s) specified.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: m collate the responses to the activity template (DR2); and * post the collated responses to the group for open discussion.

Stage two - group discussion During this stage of the activity Vow should: • post an opening message to start the discussion 'Just browsing' (SMP2); and « facilitate the discussion 'Just browsing'.

Sample message postings We are now two weeks into the course and the discussions in the open forum are developing well. It is not always possible to contribute to every discussion and sometimes we just want to read the messages that have been posted. However, if everyone reads the messages and no one contributes the discussion will soon lose its momentum.

309

Over the next week keep a note of when and why you contribute to a discussion and also note when you do not contribute and why (DR1). Please send me your completed activity template by [date]. SMP2 You have all completed the activity template with reasons why you participated or why you did not participate in the online discussions last week. Consider the collated reasons attached. • Which of the reasons given do you find surprising? • Which of the reasons given may lead to a productive discussion? • Which of the reasons given may lead to a non-productive discussion? • How can we encourage everyone to participate in the discussion?

)ependent resources

Instructions Over the coming week you should make detailed notes of: m when, where and why you contributed to an online discussion; and •

why you did not contribute to an online discussion on any given day.

It is important that you provide as much detail as possible in order to provide a full picture of your online activity for the week. Day

Yes, I contributed to

No, I did not contribute to

the online discussion today.

the online discussion today.

When?

Why?

Where? Why?

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 310

DR2

Reasons for participation and non-participation Reasons for participation

Reasons for non-participation

Examples

Examples

« interest in topic;

•

m had a spare hour;

» did not understand some of the

« did not agree with what was being discussed; •

references in the discussion; « my grammar is not very good ... am a

had not contributed all week and

bit nervous about posting a message

thought I ought to send a message;

that everyone can see;

» found a really good link on the web and though the others might be interested; and •

did not have the time;

wanted to finish the task.

« did not have anything to say; m the rest of the group seem to know so much more than I do; » did not agree with what was being discussed; and » topic was not of interest to me.

311

PATTERNS OF PARTICIPATIONS

RDU2 •

Take a back seat

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: §• facilitate a discussion for their online peers; • take part in a discussion led by their online peers; and « evaluate the role of the facilitator.

•

Rationale Very often in the early stages of an online course there is a flurry of activity and interaction, usually at the 'getting to know you', online socialization stage (Salmon 2000, 25-30), which can suddenly dip, and even come to a stop altogether once the real learning starts. This is often because learners are used to tutors taking the lead and as a result may sit back and wait for the tutor to do just that. In order to remedy this situation, or indeed to avoid it, it is advisable that the tutor, as soon as is reasonably possible given his/her group and context, takes a back a seat him/herself and allows the learners to become the facilitators of online discussions. If carefully structured and supported this activity can lead to greater independence on the part of the learners and a more effective group working ethos. This activity encourages learners to take responsibility for facilitating a discussion themselves on a topic of their choice. This facilitation may be undertaken by the learners individually or in pairs. It is important that the learners, within reason, choose their own topics, although of course certain parameters of general overall topic within the context of their course of study may be given.

312

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Promoting learner independence Dealing with fluctuations

To prepare for the activity you should: m identify the general topic area(s) that is to be moderated by vour learners;

in pa ems on on me interaction Learners as facilitators of online discussions

send a message 3 to your learners explaining the activity and ' r a i e/ffcerthe need to identify a topic of their choice (SMP1) or the need to identify a topic from the list you have provided (SMP2);and prepare facilitator guidelines and send to the learners

Interaction molegroup

m

"T0" ,* , ,. . Online/blended learning

To prepare for the activity your e-learners should:

courses

Midway through an online course Where learners are too dependent on the e-tutor Problem solving

(SMR3)

« decide upon the topic they wish to facilitate; and *

ser

>d Y°u an outline of the chosen topic and issues they wish to raise.

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Your e-learners should: • provide a clear opening message posting to start the discussion; and • facilitate and guide the discussion appropriately. You should: « monitor activity and intervene only if absolutely necessary; and • interact with the facilitators on a one-to-one basis should the need arise for support and guidance.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close Your e-learners should: « provide a clear summary of the key issues raised in the discussion.

Sample message postings

SMP1 We are going to be exploring [insert name of topic here] over the coming few weeks and each member of the group is going to moderate a discussion on one specific aspect. You should consider which aspect of this topic you would like to focus on and send me a brief outline (max 50 words) of: • the area you would like to consider for discussion with your online colleagues;

313

• the issues you would like to explore; and m one or two website references you plan to use to support the discussion.

OR

SMP@ We are going to be exploring [insert name of topic here] over the coming few weeks and each member of the group is going to moderate an online discussion on one specific aspect of their choice. Choose one of the following aspects of this topic that you would like to focus on: aa\

)

b) c) d) '

6

)

c. Send me a message identifying the aspect you have chosen, and giving a brief outline (max 50 words) of: • the issues you would like to explore; and • one or two websites you plan to use to support the discussion.

SMP# You have now chosen the topic you wish to facilitate with your online peers. Attached to this message is a set of guidelines (DR1) that will help you get started, monitor and facilitate the discussion. Don't forget - as well as your responsibilities as a facilitator for this topic you are also required to take part in the discussion monitored by your peers.

Dependent resources DR1

Guidelines for facilitating online discussions •

Make sure you have a good understanding of topic you have chosen - you are not required to be an expert but you should have enough knowledge and interest in the content to facilitate the discussion and learning. You should also have one or two website references to post for further background reading.

m Allocate regular time (preferably every day) to facilitate the discussion. m Pick up on important points and weave them into a summary of the discussion at the end of the week. • Start a new discussion thread if the participants appear to be moving off topic or have developed their thoughts along different lines to the ones originally started. m Monitor your peers' participation - if one or more of your online peers does not appear to be participating in the discussion, you should let your tutor know and seek advice on 314

the course of action to take.

PATTERNS OF PARTICIPATION

RDU3 •

Twists of fate

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « create a blog to support collaborative group working; and » use a blog as an effective group project management tool, recording the level and nature of group activity.

•

Rationale Many online courses require group work for the completion of tasks and some also require group work for assessment purposes. In many instances the groups work well together but there are times when a twist of fate means a group member may have to drop out of the course, leaving the group wondering where to go next and what to do with one member down. Further twists of fate may well leave one learner alone as different group members, for differing and often unavoidable reasons, have to drop out. This causes a number of problems for the tutor and learner alike, particularly if the collaborative working is an integral part of the learning and assessment process. This activity suggests an approach to group work monitoring that in itself cannot avoid the twists of fate but can lay the foundation for a structure to which the remaining members of the group and the tutor can turn should the need arise to reconstitute groups or redeploy tasks and responsibilities among remaining group members. The key feature of this activity is to monitor group activity closely in the form of an informal 'blog 1 to which the group members contribute. A 'blog' is simply a type of website, but the strength of current blog tools is that they allow individuals and groups working collaboratively to instantly publish to a website which can be viewed by all group members and that, incidentally, also allows demonstration of the group knowledge construction and progress during the course. Blog tools are usually quite straightforward to use and take a matter of seconds to set up. As a result of their relative simplicity and potential for collaborative learning and sharing of resources and ideas blogs are increasingly being used in education. This activity encourages learners to use a group blog to document closely the process and progress of their collaborative working. Learners may develop their blog by, for example, recording resources accessed in the course of exploring a project topic; providing commentary on individual and group reflection on the contribution/value of that resource to the project aims; uploading summaries of group discussions held either offline, by Internet chat or within an online forum; storing drafts of the collaborative work. This is a particularly useful activity to include when group work is extended over a longer period of time.

315

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Blogs as an effective group project management tool Recording participation within small 3 group collaboration Managing instances where a gro(vp member may have to drop out of the course

To prepare for the activity you should: m send a message to your learners explaining the purpose of producing a blog to document their group work and progress (SMP1); and a ensure an

V necessary arrangements are in place to enable the establishment of new user groups should the activity groupings change; in some cases this may

Interaction Small groups

already be within e-tutor permissions for the online

Context Throughout an online course Where course involves extended small group collaboration Problem solving

assistance of an administrator to set this up.

learning platform, in others it may require the

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: m populate the blog to provide as complete a picture as possible of the group's collaborative working processes and progress; they should record activity such as the following: n drafts of collaborative work; n resources accessed in the course of exploring a project topic; n commentary on individual/group reflection on the contribution/value of that resource to the project aims; and n summaries of group discussions held either offline, by Internet chat or within an online forum. You should: m monitor the blogs at regular intervals to ensure they are as complete and as up to date as appropriate. It is recommended that the dates for monitoring the blogs be set in advance so that the learners have the sense of regular tutor input and support into the planning and development process of their collaborative working.

316

Sample message postings

SMP! In any group or project work it is important to document the process and progress. To this end you are required to keep a group blog as part of the final output for this group task. A 'blog' is a type of website that allows individuals and groups working collaboratively to instantly publish to a website which can be viewed by all group members. You will be using [insert name of the blog software to be used] and should use this space to: « document your group's progress at key stages during this task - it is recommended that you should upload a brief summary of progress at least once a week; m upload drafts of your collaborative work - it is recommended that all early drafts be kept on the blog as these may provide useful cross-referencing at later stages in your task; and « upload useful resources, weblinks, etc. I will be monitoring your blogs on a regular basis to ensure the collaborative work is progressing well. Please do remember that your blog is the only indication I have of how the group is working together and thus it is important to provide as complete a picture as possible of your online activity.

For more information ... e-Learning Centre, e-Learning Information and Services at: www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/eclipse/vendors/weblogging.htm [accessed 12 July 2005]

317

PATTERNS OF PARTICIPATIOONS

RDU4 •

Chat time

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: m communicate effectively in real time with their tutor and online peers; m use a real-time chat tool for a variety of learning tasks, including socializing, brainstorming, project planning and coordination

•

Rationale One of the key advantages of online learning for many is the ability to learn when and where participants want to and at a pace that is appropriate to personal and professional learning needs. As a result, many online learning programmes are predominantly focused on interaction via asynchronous tools. The complex logistics of getting everyone online at the same time for a real-time session, coupled with the additional workload implications for tutors, may act as strong disincentives for tutors to make use of synchronous tools in a learning context. However there are a number of important advantages of integrating real-time chat tools with the use of asynchronous ones, of which the main four, cited by Mason (1998), are: 1. Motivation - synchronous systems focus the energy of the group, providing motivation to distance learners to keep up with their peers and continue with their studies. 2. Telepresence - real-time interaction with its opportunity to convey tone and nuance helps to develop group cohesion and the sense of being part of a learning community. 3. Good feedback - synchronous systems provide quick feedback on ideas and support consensus and decision-making in group activities, both of which enliven distance education. 4. Pacing - synchronous events encourage learners to keep up to date with the course and provide a discipline to learning that helps people to prioritize their studies. This activity encourages e-learners to explore for themselves the use of real-time chat for personal and group learning needs and places the responsibility on them to facilitate and mange the real-time interaction. It is important that real-time chats are followed up, hence the feature of this activity that requires learners to make a copy of the transcript and post it to an open forum.

318

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Online discussion

To prepare for the activity you should:

Real-time chat

m set an appropriate day/time for the first real-time chat

Motivation

sessions, ensuring as many of the learners as possible can

Decision-making

attend; and

Interaction Small groups

•

Synchronous

fix several dates, not only to suit as many of the group as .,, , , . , . . . possible but to ensure the group is not too large; an ideal number per chat session would be four or five.

Context

^° P re P are f°r tne activity youre-learners should:

Distance learning

"

Throughout online learning courses

identify one date suggested by the tutor when they are able to attend a real-time chat session.

Teenagers/adults learners Academic courses

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity You should: « prepare an appropriate topic of discussion for the real-time session; ideally a first session should focus on socializing, 'getting to know you1, icebreakers, etc.; and « facilitate the chat session, modelling best practice for the learners. Your e-1 earners should: *

participate as fully as possible in the chat session.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: » make a copy of the full chat transcript; « tell your learners that you will be posting this transcript to the whole group for reflection and discussion; and « explain to your learners that they should reflect on the session and take part in the discussion in response to the opening message from you (SMP1) to share their thoughts with their online peers.

Stage two - group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « participate as fully as possible in the discussion in response to SMP1. You should: « facilitate, guide and monitor the discussion as appropriate. 319

Stage three - small group learning During this stage of the activity You should: •

divide the group into smaller sub-groups; these should ideally be different from those who originally met online for the first real-time chat;

« identify an appropriate task/topic from the course content; and « encourage the group to set a date/time when they can meet online and complete the task/explore the topic together (SMP2). Youre-learners should: •

set a mutually appropriate time/date to meet online;

•

complete the task set;

•

post the transcript to the open forum; and

« participate in the asynchronous discussion that follows the posting of all the sub-groups' transcripts (SMP3).

Sample message postings SMP! The chat session on [date] proved to be very interesting and it was a pleasure to meet you online. I have attached a copy of the full transcript to this message to remind you of the discussion and also to allow those of you who could not take part to see how it all worked. How would you like to use this communication tool in your learning online? What are the advantages/disadvantages of a real-time interaction tool? How can we overcome the disadvantages to ensure this tool works for us?

SMP2 You will be working together on the following task [insert details of chosen task here]. You should find a mutually convenient day/time when you can all be online at the same time. You should then use the chat tool to complete the task set. Please note you must make a full copy of your transcript and post it to the open forum for further discussion. I will not be participating in this chat session so please do think carefully how you are going to organize yourselves in order to use the time online as effectively and as efficiently as possible.

SMP3 Please post a copy of your full chat transcript to this forum. Compare the different transcripts and identify the key issues discussed in each group. Select one key issue to develop further and post your views and ideas in response to this message.

320

AVOIDING AND HNDLING DISAGREEMENTS

RDU5 •

A question of culture

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: •

identify their own cultural values and attitudes that influence the ways they behave .. online;

•

identify their own cultural calues and attitudes that influence the expectations they have of both online learning and the ways other people behave;

m explain these clearly to other people; and • identify the cultural attitudes and views of other people that influence the ways in which they' behave online.

•

Rationale In any collaborative learning situation learners are likely to experience pressures as a normal part of the group development process. It is important to acknowledge and address any tensions that may arise between learners, and between learners and tutors. Online, these tensions can be exacerbated, partly due to the fact that the communication lacks the immediacy of personal contact within face-to-face interaction, partly due to distance and the time required to resolve differences, and also partly from the potential that online learning offers people from a range of diverse backgrounds and cultures to come together in one cohort. The membership of online groups is often more diverse than those within face-to-face courses. This activity prepares learners for the possibility of the tensions that may arise from participants having different viewpoints, often based on previous learning experiences and cultural values and attitudes. This activity works well after the learners have been online for a few weeks, have got to know each other, and had some experience of online learning.

321

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Cultural values and attitudes influencing behaviour online Managing diverse online groups

To prepare for the activity you should: m senc] ea ch of your learners the instruction for the activity rci^m^ j r 4.u n <.• r n. j (SMP1) and a copy of the Question of culture document * rnD (DR1J -

Interaction Individuals Whole group Context Distance learning Wholly online courses Where clashes of culture become a problem within the group Problem-solving

Stage one - individual work During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: •

Complete the Question of culture document (DR1) and return it to you.

Stage two - group work Your e-learners should: •

collate the responses from the complete Question of Culture; the responses should be collated on separate documents, one document per issue;

« send one set of collated responses to each student (SMP2); and •

learners reflect on the collated responses and post their own thoughts and views to the open forum. It is recommended that a separate discussion thread be opened for each of the issues listed on the 'Question of culture1 document.

Sample message postings

We have been working together online for several weeks now and, as I am sure you have recognized, we all come from quite different backgrounds. This has resulted in an added richness to our discussions but sometimes our differences can hinder the way we learn and approach an activity. In order to explore some of these differences as a group, first please complete the Question of culture document attached (DR1). You should return this to me before Mo+^i 322

SMP@ Attached to this message you will find the collated group responses to one of the issues identified in the Question of culture document. Consider these responses carefully and then post your views and thoughts in the open forum. You should start a new discussion thread with a clear subject title identifying the issue and it is your responsibility to facilitate, guide and monitor the discussion.

Dependent resources DR1 A question of culture The following statements are laid out on a scale with descriptions of two opposite approaches to an issue at either end of the scale. The scale is there only to provide reference points. Please mark on the scale with a cross your personal views.

Example For effective online interaction the team

Effective ground rules will develop

should first create a set of ground rules and

through the relationships in the team.

then stick to them.

3

X

1

The tutor should make the final decisions after consulting with the group. 3

2

1

0

1

X

3

The whole group must reach consensus after group discussion. 0

1

2

3

Expressing strong emotions is inappropriate

Expressing all feelings openly and learning

online.

honestly is the only basis to interact online.

3

2

1

You need to spend time getting to know

0

1

2

3

Getting straight into the content of the

someone before you can work together online, course is the key to effective online learning. 3

2

1

0

1

2

3

323

Each person is responsible for his/her own

The group has a responsibility to each other

learning.

for the effective outcome of the course.

3

2

1

One should only say things that are

1

2

relevant and that are carefully thought

mind can lead to interesting ideas and greater creativity.

2

1

0

1

2

Both appreciation of and dissatisfaction

Appreciation of and discomfort with other

with other people's behaviour should be

people's behaviour is best expressed in

pointed out directly to them.

subtle, indirect ways.

3

2

1

3

Talking about things that simply come to

through. 3

324

0

0

1

2

3

3

j2^^MH^rjj[jJE^^^^^^2H!E5HBBi

RDU6 •

A joke is a joke - was that funny?

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • identify different forms of humour appropriate to their specific online learning context; s share jokes with their online colleagues without causing discomfort or upset; and m develop closer peer rapport through humour and informal chat.

•

Rationale Humour, making people smile or laugh and laughing with people is an important part of socia interaction and community. The same holds true online - but conveying our sense of humou to people we may never have met, often asynchronously and through text, can be quite challenge: 'Face-to-face, we know by tone of voice or facial expression that humour is intendec but we cannot use these cues in the online environment'(Smith 2001, 2). Indeed, sometimes humour online simply does not work and the end result may well be complet misunderstanding and misinterpretation. This activity encourages learners to explore humou online, share jokes and, if appropriate, discuss the different ways people perceive humour. This activity should take place in an informal (e.g. cafe) open forum away from the discussio of the course and thus allow choice for those individuals in the group who do not wish t participate in this aspect of the online context.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Humour in the online learning context Online socialization Interaction Whole group

Preparation for the activity To prepare for the activity you should: H open an area within the online learning platform that a||ows for more j n f orma | soc j a | interaction; « open discussion threads that allow those participants who choose to exchange jokes; and m send an opening message to start the discussion (SMP1).

Context Online/blended learning courses Problem-solving Throughout the online learning course

325

Stage one - whole-group interaction During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should:

» share jokes with the group. You should: » monitor the jokes being posted to ensure that no offence is being caused.

Sample message postings SMP!

We all love to laugh and most of us enjoy a good joke. Laughing together is one way of forming groups and I thought I would take start this discussion thread so we can share jokes, find out what makes us laugh and why. Here is one I came across the other day - it made me smile. Bill Gates and the president of General Motors have met for lunch, and Bill is going on and on about computer technology. 'If automotive technology had kept pace with computer technology over the past few decades, you would now be driving a V-32 instead of a V-8, and it would have a top speed of 10,000 miles per hour,' says Gates. 'Or, you could have an economy car that weighs 30 pounds and gets a thousand miles to a gallon of gas. In either case, the sticker price of a new car would be less than $50. Why haven't you guys kept up?' The president of GM smiles and says, 'Because the federal government won't let us build cars that crash four times a day.' (Anon.) Do you have any good jokes to share?

Activity variations/extensions If you have a multilingual group it may be interesting to compare what makes different cultures laugh, and indeed to reflect on deeper issues such as how to take care that a joke does not cause offence, and what sort of things might upset those of different cultures. This would take the task beyond the 'mere' social activity, and help e-learners to see that it is often the 'throw away' comment that causes most offence.

For more information ... How Laughter Works, http://people.howstuffworks.com/laughter4.htm [accessed 12 July 2005] That's a Laugh, http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/humour/best_medicine.htm [accessed 12 July 2005]

326

AVOIDING AND HANDLING DISAGREEMENTS

RDU7

•

Flaming Practice

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: « identify what is and what isn't a flame; and m reflect on an appropriate course of action should flaming occur in their online discussions.

•

Rationale Wikipedia defines flamins as 'the act of sending or posting messages that are deliberately hostile

and insulting' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/flame-war). However, flaming can also occur when humour, irony or mild sarcasm was intended. Flaming can usually be avoided if the notion of netiquette is introduced in the early stages of the course, but sometimes quite unexpectedly a remark by one learner can quickly develop into all-out flame war. In these instances the tutor needs to be prepared to deal with the flame quickly and effectively. This activity involves the learners in identifying different instances of flaming and encourages them to reflect on an appropriate course of action.

Guidelines for the e-tutor pocus

Preparation for the activity

Flaming

To prepare for the activity you should:

Managing personality clashes and other

m send

conflicts within the online environment

m divide the online group into three smaller sub-groups; and each group a message explaining what they need to , lc.,n„, do (SMP1).

Interaction Small groups Whole group

Context Distance learning Wholly online courses Where clashes of culture become a problem within the group Problem solving

327

Stage one - small group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: • discuss in their small groups the task provided; and •

post a summary of their group discussions to the open forum.

You should: m monitor and facilitate as appropriate.

Stage two - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: « take an active part in the online discussion. You should: ii facilitate and monitor as appropriate.

Sample message postings I am sure we have all had the experience in an online discussion where arguments become quite heated. This is sometimes referred to as flaming, particularly when one member of the group appears to be insulting or disrespecting another person. However, sometimes flaming can occur when we least expect it. This activity sets out to identify different types of messaging that could lead to a flame war or misunderstanding between online participants. [Choose one of the following for each group.] You are in Group A // You are in Group B // You are in Group C Go to the website 'Flame wars and other online arguments': http://members.aol.com/intwg/flamewars.htm Read the following descriptions [Choose one of the following for each group.] Group A I'm I'm My I'm

Passionate; You're Wrong (Instaclick) Just Trying to Help (Pedantry) Soapbox, My Audience (Abstraction) Right; You're Wrong (Polarity)

Group B You're Right; I'm Wrong (Ego) They're Wrong; You're Wrong (Transference) You Mustn't Be Right (Antiprocess) You're Not Listening (Frustration) 328

Group C

I Thought You Knew (Miscommunication) I'm Right; You're Deluded (Flamebait) I'm Right; You're Hooked (Trolling) I'm Within the Rules (Brinking) In your group: m Discuss whether or not you think these are accurate descriptions. « Identify instances in your own experience of this sort of flaming. » Suggest strategies for dealing with such an instance should it occur in an online discussion of which you are a participant. Write a summary of your group's discussions and post it to the open forum by [date].

For more information ... Flame Wars and Other Online Arguments, http://members.aol.com/intwg/flamewars.htm [accessed 12 July 2005] - This website is live at the time of going to press but if you have problems accessing it when you come to use the activity, we suggest implementing a keyword search for other such resources. For activities that can help to establish the 'rules' of the online community and avoid flaming, see: RPUOL7 The need for netiquette RPUOL8 Our online community - agreeing the house rules

329

ENABLING STUDENT REPRESENTATION OLINE

RDU8 •

Listening to the learner voice

Learning outcomes Through this activity your learners should be able to: « contribute to staff-student meetings on complex programmes involving distributed delivery across multiple sites/wide geographical area and/or during periods of work-based learning; •J overcome the barriers that adult learners may face from heavy work/family commitments or complex life patterns to participate in learner representation and consultation; and m engage in a coherent and structured pattern of dialogue with staff and other learners through a series of minuted online meetings.

•

Rationale The activity is designed to meet the needs of learners on any programme where participation in traditional face-to-face discussion among staff and students is difficult or impossible. This includes instances where a programme is wholly online, but also in the context of blended learning or even wholly face-to-face courses where time or distance prove to be a barrier to full learner participation in staff-student consultation processes. Within this activity provision is made for online, asynchronous staff-student meetings to discuss learner concerns. Many aspects of traditional staff-student meetings are carried across into the online context, with agenda setting and keeping of 'minutes' as in any other situation. The meeting runs over an agreed number of days, with separate discussion threads for different agenda items, and both tutors and learners access and contribute at times that are convenient within their busy lives. The threads are facilitated by the chairperson as in traditional meetings and the textual nature of the discussion allows for the taking of minutes, which can then be distributed to the wider body of learners and revisited as the starting point for the next meeting. This activity originates from the University of Hull's Foundation Degree in Pre-16 Learning and Teaching Support, involving delivery spread across seven different institutions representing a wide area of the Number region. The staff-student online forum was originally set up on an ad hoc basis, with student representatives posting learner concerns as and when they arose. Unfortunately, these tended to come from individuals and generally were addressed through an individual response from the programme director or course leader. Group discussion of issues was rare and while communication remained pleasant, there was no sense of community. Experience has shown that the more formal approach involving fixed start/end dates is more effective in a situation where the learner population combine study with family and full-time work, where the tutors employed on the programme are also often working on a part-time basis, and where all have multiple competing responsibilities.

330

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Virtual staff-student meetings

To prepare for the activity you should: m

Online consultation Learner representation Interaction

ensure that reps are in place for the learner groups to be represented at the meeting, and check that these learner reps have suitab|e |ntemet access;

* decide on the start and end dates for the virtual meeting

Groups

an

Asynchronous

make sure the tutors and learner reps have this

Staff-student mix

d which conference area is to be used for the meeting;

information; and « ensure that you have clerical support, and check that they

Context

are comfortable with the idea of making 3 notes/minutes

At regular intervals through an online course Online/blended/face-to face courses

from an onlme

meeting.

To prepare for the activity your e-representatives should:

Adult learners

* make contact with the learners they represent to gather

Courses with distributed delivery

their views about the Iearnin 9 experience; and » free up some time to participate in the meeting during the

identified period of time.

Stage one - whole-group activity: agenda-setting During this stage of the activity You should: « publicize the meeting to the learner body and the relevant staff who are to be involved (SMP1); « encourage learners to inform their learner reps of any issues or questions they would like the meeting to discuss; m invite staff to contribute topics or questions for the meeting agenda; and m ensure that any minutes from a previous meeting are available for consultation. Your e-representatives should: •

contact their fellow learners to remind them of topics discussed previously and ask for issues or questions they would like the meeting to address;

« forward these for inclusion in the agenda; •

review the minutes from the last meeting to identify items to be followed up; and

•

read agenda items prior to the commencement of the formal meeting period.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

draw up an agenda based on action points from any previous meeting and suggestions put forward by staff or learners, collating ideas under clear topics for discussion;

« publicize that agenda to the members of the meeting, notifying representatives once they are available. This allows the participants more time to prepare themselves and should improve the quality of the online discussion. Online meetings rely on textual commentary

RE

and contributors generally spend more time preparing and refining their online contributions and are less spontaneous than they would be in a face-to-face situation; , and m prepare the discussion forum that will be used for the online meeting, setting up one discussion thread per topic, ensuring everyone has access, etc. You will want a separate discussion thread for reporting back on any previous action points etc.

Stage two - whole-group activity: the online meeting During this stage of the activity Vow should: • send a message welcoming everyone to the meeting and making suggestions about how to ensure participation works smoothly (SMP2); « access the meeting discussion on a regular basis and read the contributions made; * undertake any 're-organization' of topics that will clarify the structure of the discussion for example, you may wish to initiate a new discussion thread where you find that a new topic has been introduced in the course of the debate; and m hold back from responding to contributions until there has been the opportunity for some discussion - as in a face-to-face meeting, you do not wish to dominate the debate by responding personally to every contribution made. Your ^-representatives and the members of staff should: « read the opening message, the minutes of any previous meeting, and the items suggested for the agenda; » where discussion has already started, read through that debate, and then contribute their own views, examples, suggestions, as appropriate; and • follow the instructions given for raising any further matters by opening new discussion points.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: •

remind everyone of the day and time when the meeting will close and draw attention to any decisions which should be made by that time;

m encourage any non-participants to take the opportunity to give their views; and •

revisit each topic of discussion to identify key conclusions reached (if any) and any action points arising.

The secretary should: •

make and circulate minutes from the meeting; and

•

publicize the date for the following meeting.

Your e-representatives shou Id: » report back to the wider body of learners on the discussions held, decisions reached, and action points agreed; and m ensure learners have access to the minutes.

332

Sample message postings SMP1 Hi all.

The next online staff-student committee meeting will be held w/c [date]. Could you add any items you wish to put on the agenda to this discussion thread please? Many thanks. The minutes from the previous meeting are attached. They have also been added to the file bank. Sue

SMP2 Hi everyone. Welcome to the first staff-learner meeting for the coming year! The meeting will run throughout the coming week, and I hope everyone will feel free to raise issues for discussion, and to give their views freely. We do value opportunities for learners to give feedback on the programme, and input to the programme design, and will do everything we can to respond to points raised. Some of you will be new reps ... the way it works best is that for each new issue you want to raise for discussion, you click on 'New discussion' and clearly label your message with the issue concerned. For each response to a message sent on an issue already raised, you click on 'Reply' to that message, and in that way the messages will be tied together into a thread. This will help us in our discussion, and will help the secretary to take the minutes of the meeting more easily! :) Thanks, and see you all in here over the coming week, Shirley

333

ENABLING STUDENT REPRESENTATION ONLINE

RDU9 •

Suggestion box chat

Learning outcomes Through completion of this activity your e-learners should be able to: • identify aspects of their online learning with which they are not entirely happy; and in discuss openly and constructively with the tutor and online group possible solutions to the issues raised.

•

Rationale In any learning and group situation there will inevitably be some discontent, some dissent and, indeed, some open disagreement. This situation in the face-to-face context can often be dealt with rapidly by discussing the issues being raised with the individual concerned. However, online contact with the tutor and online peers is not as immediate and in times of difficulty the learner may well feel alone and not sure where to turn to for help. This activity suggests the setting up of regular suggestion box chat sessions, monitored by the tutor. A real-time chat tool is recommended for this activity in order to allow immediate response to the issues raised. If a real-time chat tool is not available then it is recommended that an open forum be created for this specific purpose, and that the tutor endeavours to be online at least once a day over a period of one week.

Guidelines for the e-tutor Focus

Preparation for the activity

Discontent, dissentor

To prepare for the activity you should:

disagreement within an

m

on me group Informal staff-student ,. .

m

discussion

set

up an appropriate suggestion box area;

set U p a n anonymous account that the learners can use in ,_. , ... ,, . ,. , . , the suggestion box area; this allows issues to be raised yy

anonymously during the opening, 'agenda-setting' stage of Interaction Individuals Whole group Context Online/blended learning courses Where areas of discontent emerge within the group Problem-solving

334

m

the activity; and pOSt an opening message (SMP1) to explain the purpose of the suggestion box.

Stage one - individual activity During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: » post their suggestions/raise any issues in the anonymous suggestion box. /ow should: » monitor activity in the suggestion box; and » collate the suggestions as they come in.

Stage two - whole-group learning During this stage of the activity Youre-learners should: H take an active part in the online chat. You should: « facilitate and guide the chat session as appropriate.

Drawing this stage of the activity to a close You should: « post the full transcript of the chat session to an open forum for those who could not attend the real-time discussion. This provides an opportunity for all to contribute and continue the interaction if appropriate.

Sample message postings SMP1 We are now almost halfway through the course and I thought I would take this opportunity to ask for your views and opinions on how things are going. You may wish to submit your views anonymously, so I have created an anonymous account to which you can send you questions/raise issues. Please could you send through your suggestions before [date]. We will then have a real-time chat session to explore together the issues raised. This chat session will take place on [date]. For those of you who cannot make the chat session, I will post a full transcript of our discussion afterwards.

335A

rEFERENCES Atherton, J. S. (2004). Teaching and learning: experiential learning [on-line] UK'. [www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm] Bennett, S. (2004). Widening Participation for Women Returners to Learning: Meeting the Challenge Through eLearning, Gender Inequalities in Kenya, Egerton University, Kenya, UNESCO. Bennett, S. and D. Marsh (2002). 'Are we expecting tutors to run before they can walk?! Innovations in Education and Teaching International 39(1): 14-20. Burford, S. and L Cooper. 'Collaborative learning online! [www.ssn.flinders.edu.au/flexed/innovations/workgroups.php] Deszin, N. (1969). 'Symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology: a proposed synthesis! American Sociological Review 34: 922-34. DfEE (1998). The learning age: a renaissance for a new Britain! [www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/greenpaper/] Errington, E. (2003). Developing Scenario-Based Learning, Dunmore Press, New Zealand. Fairhurst, J. (2003). Postgraduate Distance Learning Conversion Programme in Law, Learning Environments and Pedagogy, The Higher Education Academy. [www.ltsn.ac.uk/application.asp?app=resources.asp&:process=full_recordEtsection= generic8tid=209] FEDA (1995). Learning Styles. London, Further Education Development Agency. Ferdig, R. E. and K. D. Trammell (2004). 'Content delivery in the "blogosphere"! Technological Horizons in Education. Garrison, D. R. and T. Anderson (2003). E-Learning in the 21st Century: A Framework for Research and Practice. London, RoutledgeFalmer. Genesee, F. and J. A. Upshur (1996). Classroom-based Evaluation in Second Language Education, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Gibbs, G. and C. Simpson 'Does your assessment support your students' learning?! [www.open.ac.uk/science/fdtl/documents/lit-review.pdf] Hoffman, J. (2003) 'Be an Active Participative Instructor! American Society for Training 8t Development (ASTD). [www.webjunction.org/do/displayContent?id=13873] Jaques, D. (1992). Learning in Groups, London, Kogan Page. Lindstromberg, S. (1990). Pilgrims Longman Resource Books, Harlow, Pilgrims Longman. Lindstromberg, S. (1990). The Recipe Book: Practical Ideas for the Language Classroom, Harlow, Longman. Mason, R. (1998) The globalisation of education! [www-iet.open.ac.uk/pp/r.d.mason/globalbook/syncasync.html] Moore, M. (1989). 'Editorial: three types of interaction.1 The American Journal of Distance Education 3(2). Morrison, K. (1995). 'Dewey, Habermas and reflective practice! Curriculum 16(2): 82-130. Oliver, C. M. (2002) 'Curriculum Design for E-Learning! LTSN Generic Centre and TechLearn. [www.ics.ltsn.ac.uk/pub/elearning/curriculumdesign.doc] Pauldrach, A. (1992). 'Eine unendliche Geschichte: Anmerkungen zur Situation der Landeskunde

tm

in den 90er Jahren! Fremdsprache Deutsch:Zeitschrift fur die Praxis des Deutschunterrichts (6): 4-15.

Petty, G. 'Active learning', [www.geoffpetty.com/activelearning.html] Plumpton, B. 'How students can make conferencing work', [www.open.ac.uk/science/envweb/conference/Howstudentscanmakeconferencingwork.pdf] Salmon, G. (2000). E-moderating: The Key to Teaching and Learning Online, London, Kogan Page. Salmon, G. (2002). eTivities: The Key to Active Online Learning, London, Kogan Page. Smith, B. (2001). Teaching online: new or transferable skills?'. [www.heacademy.ac.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=216646tfilename=Smith] Stephenson, J. (2001). Teaching and Learning Online: Pedagogies for New Technologies, London, Kogan Page. Woodward, T. (1991). Models and Metaphors in Language Teacher Training: Loop Input and Other Strategies, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

ADDITIONAL FURTHER READING

'Assessing effectiveness of student participation in online discussions'. California State University [www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring51/edelstein51.html] 'Assessment criteria for online discussions'. Spokane Falls Community College, USA. [http://faculty.spokanefalls.edu/discussions/assessment_criteria_for_online_discussions.htm] BELBIN® Team-Roles [www.belbin.com/belbin-team-roles.htm] Blogger [www.blogger.com/start] [accessed 12 July 2005] Blogsome [www.blogsome.com/] [accessed 12 July 2005] Carlos Webquest Course [www.carloswebquestcourse.bravehost.com/webquesttemp.htm] Campaign for Emotional literacy [www.antidote.org.uk/html/emotionalliteracy.htm] 'Changing assessment to improve learning', Summary of the final interactive keynote session led by Professor Phil Race at the 1st Northumbria Assessment Conference, UK, 6 September 1996. [www.city.londonmet.ac.uk/deliberations/assessment/keynote.html] [accessed 12 July 2005] Coffield, frank etal. (2004) Should We Be Using Learning Sty/es?LSDA booklet in the What Research Has to Say to Practice series, Learning and Skills Research Centre, available online at [www.lsda.org.uk/files/PDF/1540.pdf] [accessed 25 July 2006). Create a Quiz [www.pc-shareware.com/quiz.htm] e-Learning Centre, e-Learning Information and Services at: [www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/eclipse/vendors/weblogging.htm] [accessed 12 July 2005] e-learning Skills by Alan Clarke, London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Easy Test Maker [www.easytestmaker.com/] Emotional Intelligence Services [http://ei.haygroup.com/about_ei/] Employment Tribunals online [www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/default.asp] Hot Potatoes [http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/hotpot/] How Laughter Works [http://people.howstuffworks.com/laughter4.htm] How do I tell good sites from bad?, BBC Webwise

[accessed 12 July 2005]

[www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/askbruce/articles/browse/goodsites_1.shtml] 'How students can make conferencing work' by B. Plumpton [www.open.ac.uk/science/env-web/conference/Howstudentscanmakeconferencingwork.pdf]

m[

Information about the Merlin virtual learning environment: [www.hull.ac.uk/elearning/merlin/] leUs, European Socrates/Minerva-funded project [http://ieus.cti.gr/content_by_cat.asp?Contentld=60]

[accessed 12 July 2005]

Learning journals and logs, reflective diaries, [www.ucd.ie/teaching/good/lea.htm] [accessed 12 July 2005] Learning styles - which one are you?, Campaign for Learning [www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/aboutyourlearning/whatlearning.htm] literacies, technologies, and learning communities: speaking and writing in the virtual classroom' by Robin Goodfellow. Paper delivered at EuroCALL 03, Limerick, Ireland, 5 September 2003. [http://iet.open.ac.Uk/pp/r.goodfellow/Euroc03/talk.htm] LSDA booklet entitled 'Should we be using learning styles?' by Frank Coffield in the What Research Has to Say to Practice series [https://www.lsda.org.uk/cims/order.aspx?code=0415408tsrc=XOWEB] Online Tutoring e-book, by Carol A. Higgison (ed.), The Online Tutoring Skills Project, Institute fi Computer Based Learning, Heriot-Watt University, 2000 [http://otis.scotcit.ac.uk/onlinebook/otisT201.htm]

[accessed 12 July 2005]

Online tutoring skills, by Clive Shepherd, Fastrak Consulting Ltd, 1999 [www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/tutoring/tutor01.htm]

[accessed 12 July 200!

'Organizing and Finding Bookmarks', Montgomery College, Maryland, USA [www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studevgt/onlinsts/Bkmktutorial/] 'Palgrave guide to time management' [www.palgrave.com/skills4study/html/studyskills/timemanagement.htm] 'Principles for evaluating websites' by Stephen Downes [www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/view.cgi?dbs=Article8tkey=1121531748] Quia [www.quia.com/] Questionmor/r [www.questionmark.com/] Quizzes using Excel [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/neil.williams50/free-resources2.htm] 'Rubric for assessment of contributions to the online discussion, Learning and Teaching Development Unit - University of Adelaide [www.unisa.edu.au/evaluations/Full-papers/BaronFull.doc] SBC Knowledge Ventures

[www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/index.html]

'Scenario-based e-learning: a step beyond traditional e-learning', by Randall W. Kindley, Learning Circuits,

[www.learningcircuits.org/2002/may2002/kindley.html]

Take Note www.academixsoft.com/takenote.html [accessed 12 July, 2005] That's a Laugh [http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/humour/best_medicine.htm] [accessed 12 July 2005] The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, (2001), The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland' [www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI/default.asp] [accessed 12 July 2005] The WebQuest Page [http://webquest.sdsu.edu/] Virtual Learning Communities: A Guide for Practitioners, by D. Lewis and B. Allan, Milton Kenes, Open University Press, 2005, Chapter 4 Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiWiki] [accessed 25 July 2005] MBGB

GLOSSARY

Action plan Alternative term for learning contract. Action set Small group of individuals providing mutual support for learning. Active learning An approach that involves e-learners in doing something for their learning. Activity The complete learning episode; the complete task the learners undertake. Asynchronous discussion A discussion, often text-based, that does not rely on participants being online at the same time. Blended learning A mix of different modes of learning, e.g. a combination of face-to-face and online learning. Blog A collection of links to pages you visit often with comments about them that other people can see. Brainjam Alternative term to brainstorm Brainstorm Generating as many ideas as possible without organizing them or evaluating their usefulness. Buddy group A small group of three to six learners working together on a learning task and providing mutual support. Collaborative resource bank A collection of resources created and owned by a group of learners. Conferencing Text-based discussion online. Critical friend review Learners review and evaluate each other's work providing external and objective comment that combines challenge with support. Dependent resources Term used in this handbook to refer to worksheets the e-learner needs to work with for an activity. Distance learning Study where there is some separation between learner and provider, also called open, online or e-learning. Download Moving or saving a file from a website to your own computer. E-learners Learners who are following a course of Internet-supported study. E-learning In this book taken to mean learning that is supported and delivered using the Internet. E-portfolio A tool that allows you to create a record giving evidence of your learning and skills. E-resources Websites, CD-Roms, educational software and other digital learning resources. E-tutor The person in the role of 'teacher', 'tutor' or 'trainer' providing, facilitating or supporting learning using the Internet. Eace to face Classroom-based learning, where tutor and learners meet in the same place. Eacilitate Help the participants undertake the learning activity. Eorum An area in the online learning platform for discussions among those with access to the e-learning course. 1CT Information and communication technology Independent learning Where learners exercise responsibility for their own learning, though often supported by tutor and peers. Learner-led learning Learning in which learners are given some responsibility for determining learning objectives and strategies. Learning contract An agreement between teacher and learner formulating an individual, detailed and viable plan of work. Mailbox The email facility within the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull. Merlin A virtual learning environment developed at the University of Hull. MindMap™ Trade name of a software application that facilitates the creation of mind maps or graphical spider grams as a means of organizing thoughts.

1111

340

Monitor Oversee the online activity or discussion, check on levels of participation and make sure the activity or discussion is on track. Negotiated syllabus The content and focus of the learning is agreed among the learners and the tutor. Netiquette Term often used to describe the rules or expectations about the nature of online contributions and a shared notion of acceptable online behaviour. Offline Using a computer when it is not connected to the Internet. Online Using a computer when it is connected to the Internet. Online colleagues Group of peers involved in an online learning activity; fellowparticipants, fellow-learners. Online learning Alternative to e-learning; learning that is supported and delivered using the Internet. Online learning platform Alternative term for virtual learning environment (VIE), managed learning environment. A website or software tool that brings together in one integrated environment a range of e-learning tools. Online socialization The second stage of Gilly Salmon's 'Five-Step Model', (Salmon, 2000, 25) Problem-based learning An approach in which learning starts from the exploration of a problem, a question or scenario. Professional development portfolio A personal (often confidential and voluntary) collection of material that records and evidences your development of professional and other skills. Real time Alternative term to synchronous; assumes all participants are online at the same time. Role-play A teaching method in which learners play a different person and see how they would approach a problem. Sample message postings Examples of suitable messages to send to learners for key stages of activities within this handbook. Search engine An application that undertakes searches on the Internet to locate websites containing information requested. Search tool Alternative term for search engine. Small group forum The place or opportunity created for participants to engage in discussion within a small, closed, group. Small group learning Learning that involves cooperation or collaboration among a group of 3-12 participants SMS Stands for 'short message service' and is the term commonly used for mobile phone text messages. Spider grams A way of graphically representing and organizing thoughts and also developing planning structures. See MindMap™. Stage Each sequential element of the learning activity as a whole. Synchronous Communication that requires all participants to be online at the same time. Teacher directed Learning in which the tutor has the main role in controlling what happens in the learning activity. Text chat Instant messaging on the Internet; synchronous text-based communication. Video conferencing The linking up of two or more computers so the participants can see and listen to each other live. Virtual classroom The virtual classroom can be compared with a viceo conference on the internet that offers teachers and students the possibility to talk, listen and see each other 'live'. Virtual group Alternative for online group; a group that operates as a learning community, communicating wholly online through the Internet.

Web log An alternative term to blog. Web quest An inquiry-based activity in which learners draw information from selected Internet sites. Who's online? A tool within the Merlin virtual learning environment at the University of Hull that shows who is online in the environment at any one time. Whole-group forum The place or opportunity created for participants to engage in discussion among the total number of the participants in the learning activity or course. Whole-group learning Learning that involves cooperation or collaboration among the total number of the participants in the learning activity or course. *WiKi?' Abbreviation for 'What 1 Know Is'; a website that allows individuals to work together to create a document.

341

INDEX action plans 121, 129, 237, 238, 239,240, 237, 239,240 active learning 34,35,39,45 activities, learning see learning activities activity opening messages 76,77,92 activity records 96 adult education 31 adult learners 30, 66, 83, 140, 145, 155, 158, 159, 164, 181, 211, 216, 233, 243, 249, 255, 267, 275, 279, 283, 295, 319, 330, 331 adult learning 229 Altavista 167 assessment 288,291,293,294,315 criteria 292 assessment activities 247 assessment forms 289,290 confidentiality 290 assessment tasks 282, 283 assignments 247 asynchronicity 67 asynchronous communication 130 asynchronous mode of working 163 asynchronous planning discussions 130 audio 31 Australasian English (language) 108 Belbin's team roles 103,104 bibliography 139,140,267 blended learning 51, 122, 169, 186, 190, 206, 209, 210, 215, 216, 221, 233, 255, 261, 262, 267, 287, 289, 313, 330, 331, 334 blogging software 216 blogs 179,215,216,217,315,316 see also group blogs brainstorming 71, 72, 73, 106, 199, 202, 134, 165, 318 British English (language) 108 browsers 41,308,309 browsing 309 buddy groups 40, 93, 125, 140, 145, 147, 175, 180, 182,183

^5

cell phones 51, 52 chat sessions 335 chat tools 320, 334 collaborative assessment activities 283 collaborative learning 88, 215, 321 collaborative working 125, 282, 301, 316, 317 collaborative writing 173 communication problems 108 communication skills 205 community education 30,31 computer literacy 109 conferencing 45 confidentiality 114 conflicts 102,103,327 contracts, learning see learning contracts CORDINATION 318 course assignments 301

course content 212 negotiation 212,214 course outlines 31,65 courses see online courses coursework projects 130 creative writing 68, 69 criticism 294 cultural backgrounds 105 culture 323 culture clashes 322, 327 cyclical learning 223 cyclical working 87 databases 41 deadlines 40, 42, 57, 58, 61, 76, 80, 84, 85, 92, 93, 97,98, 106, 115, 120, 121, 127, 129, 130, 134, 135, 137, 145, 140, 141, 150, 151, 159, 164, 165, 166, 170, 174, 176, 181, 183, 187, 190, 192, 193, 207, 208, 211, 213, 223, 237, 243, 244, 283, 284, 289, 295, 296, 302, 303 debating 198,201,203 deep learning 190 diaries 216,274,277 disability 112 discussion boards 109,110,112,288 discussion logs 112 discussion papers 214 discussion threads see message threads discussions 40 see also online discussions distance learners 248 distance learning 41, 55, 57, 60, 64, 80, 96, 122, 127,159, 186, 206, 242, 243, 261 drafting 302,303,317 e-databases 140 education, adult 31 education, community 30, 31 education, further 30 education, higher 30 education, trade union 30, 31 EEL see English as a Foreign Language e-journals 141 e-learners 149, 154, 155, 156, 158, 159, 160, 163, 173, 174, 183, 205, 206, 210, 211, 214, 215, 218, 219, 223, 237 e-learning 31, 32, 33, 40, 154 email 33, 45, 47, 50, 58, 59, 110, 111, 112, 174, 175, 233, 292, 295 emoticons 111 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) 30 English language 105, 108 e-resources 142,149,153154 error-correction 170,172 essays 111 planning 163, 164, 165, 166 ethnic origin 112 evaluation, learner see learner evaluation EXPECTATIONS,LEARNERSEELEARNEREXPECTATIONS experiences, learning see learning experiences

face-to-face groups 116 face-to-face learning 76,79,80,81,90,91,92, 114, 119, 140, 190, 197, 221, 238, 254, 287, 321, 330, 331 family commitments 330 family responsibilities 119 feedback 135, 136, 223, 228, 278, 279, 280, 291, 292, 294, 301, 302, 303, 318 reports 292 flames 327 flaming 112,307,327,328,329 foreign language speakers 51 forming 102, 103 forums see group forums, online forums further education 30 gender 122 goals 88, 127 Google 167 grammar check 170 software 171,172 group activities 89,299 group blogs 316 group discussion 42,89,116,123,254,256,315 group dynamics 287 group formation 102 group forums 68, 80, 81, 92, 125, 131, 147, 155, 166, 176, 181, 192, 193, 194, 195, 201, 203, 211, 206, 207, 208, 213, 220, 229, 245, 283, 289, 290 discussion 298 group interaction 266 group learning 92,93 group presentations 127,283,284 group tasks 282 group work 114 group working 100 groups 91 see also on line groups handouts 92, 93, 105 hardware 150 higher education 30 homepages 47, 48, 49, 62 house rules 115,116 Hull University Merlin virtual learning environment 46, 48, 49 humour 325,327 hyperlinks 153 ICT 258, 259 tools 149, 150, 151 ieUs project 206 208 immigrants 51 independence, learner see learner independence individual learning 84 individual learning needs 266 induction 64 information research 205 informing 102,103 initiative 87 interaction 318 learner-learner 63

interaction skills, online 261 interactive learning 109 Internet 32, 33, 34, 35, 54, 87, 88, 119, 122, 133, 139, 140, 141, 144, 145, 149, 156, 158, 167, 160, 163, 173, 179, 180, 183, 187, 185, 190, 225,232,239,247,261,262,266,282,294, 301, 304, 315, 316 Internet searching 142 Internet-supported learning 222 irony 327 IT 109,149,150,151,154 skills 46 tools 169 jokes 325, 326 journals 274,275,276,297,298,300 see also e-journals, learning journals, online journals, reflective journals key learning points 298,299,300 keyboard skills 109 keywords 137,143 language skills 51,169 learner evaluation 83 learner expectations 84,86,95 learner independence 119 learner-learner interaction 63 learner-led learning 210, 211 learning activities 83, 84, 86, 261 learning community see online learning community learning contracts 140,227,228,229,230 background reading 228 drafting 228, 229, 230 writing 227 learning experiences 84, 103 learning forums see online learning forums learning journals 299 learning logs 275, 277, 297 learning materials 40 learning outcomes 32, 87, 210, 220, 221, 255, 256, 266, 267, 278, 279, 280, 296 personal 213 learning platforms see online learning platforms learning process 274 learning programmes see online learning programmes learning software 40 learning styles 83, 84, 85, 89 libraries 139 Lindstromberg, Seth 31 logs, learning see learning logs lurkers 307, 308, 309 mailbox 48, 49 management 41 meetings see online meetings mentoring 179,232,234 mentors 236, 239 Merlin virtuallearning environment 46,48,49 message posting 97, 99, 219

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message threading 67 message threads 64, 65, 69, 107, 111, 112, 219, 221,288,314,323,325,330,332 mid-course reviews 249, 250, 251 mind maps 133,135,136,137,166,167 MindJet MindManager 137 mind-mapping 150,151,153 software 133, 136, 151, 153 mobile phones 51 motivation 317 multicultural groups 108 multi-media 31 negotiating 109 'netiquette' 66, 105, 106, 107, 111, 114, 116, 327 Netiquette Group Forum 106, 107 norming 102, 103 North American English (language) 108 notetaking 149,151,152,153 software 153 offline learning 123, 125 offline study 120, 123 older learners 35 online chat 233, 249, 250, 335 online communication 301 online courses 110 online debating 198, 199, 201, 203 online discussions 63, 86, 87, 88, 111, 112, 218, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 262, 308, 310, 312 314 319 328 „,'''/ 1w assessment IDS online forums 49,66,175,315,316,330 see also

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on ine groups 114 online interaction skills 261 online journals 215,216 online learning 35, 120, 123, 125, 169, 243, 262, 267,313,331,334 online learning community 107 online learning courses 307 online learning forums 71 online learning platforms 41,46,47,48-9,55,56, 67, 173, 225, 235, 325 online learning programmes 318 online meetings 331,332 online seminars 210, 218, 219, 220, 221 online socialization 312 online study 120, 123 online workshops 67, 68, 69, 70, 214 forums 96, 309, 318, 320, 325, 329, 334, 335SE open questions 56 outcomes see learning outcomes

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pacing 318 pair work learning 159 pair work relationships 158,159 part-time learners 248 part-time learning 122,127 peer groups 271 peer learning 173 peer support 179,236,240

peer-assessment 283, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 2sss292, 294, 295 reports 292 pperforming 102,103 personality clashes 327 Pilgrims Longman Resource Books 31 planning 40, 263, 282, 285, 301, 316 orportals 41 Portfolio of Evidence of Learning 279 portfolios 278,279,303 peer review 279 post-debate reports 200 poster presentations 242, 243, 244 posters 82 pPowerPoint 150, 151, 153 PowerPoint presentations 80, 81, 82, 181, 183, 242,243,244 pre-learning 248, 249, 250 presentations 285 problem solving 96,101,313,316,322,327,334 problem-based learning 88,127,214 Pr°Ject management 315, 316 Pr°Ject P lannin 9 318 qquestionnaires 271 qu'zzes 270' 271 •272 ' 2733 de f9n 2TL m software 270 272 ' rreal-time sessions 318 records 84

redrafting 301, 302, 303 reflection 83,160,161,198,274,275,279,297 ^^jp 234, 275, 2 76

reflective learning 42 re|i ion m

reports 111 post-debate 200 resea rch 87 resource sharing 220 review 83 301

role , J79j 19Q 261, 262, 263, 264 sa rcasm

327

searcn eng j nes 41 _

HO, 145 secondary schools 206 self-analysis 249 self-assessment 283, 284, 285, 287, 288, 289, 291, 292 self-evidencing sheets 255, 256, 257, 258 seminars 157, 214, 218, 210, 219, 220, 221 sexual orientation 112 small groups 101 SMS messages 50, 51, 52 social contact 34 social interaction 63,325 socializing 312,318,319 software 150,151,152,171 blogging 216 learning 40 quiz design 270,272 spell-check 171,172 word-processing 171

staff-student meetings 330, 331 storming 102,103 student learning 40 study see online study study timetables 120 Suggestion Box Chat sessions 334 suggestion boxes 334,335 surfing 167 SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) 248, 253 syllabus 214 syllabus negotiation 211 synchronous online debating 203 Take Note (software) 153 tasks 87 team discussions 206 team leaders 209 team-building 287 teamwork skills 100 technology 307 telepresence 318 theorists 88 threads see message threads time management 120,121,122,127,190,213, 222, 299 timetables 303 see also study timetables trade union education 30, 31 transcripts 320 tutor roles and responsibilities 95 URLs 141, 156, 157, 188, 229 video 31 video conferences 123

video-conferencing 233, 249, 250 virtual groups 179 Virtual-Workspace, The 30 web pages 55,56 web searches 87 weblinks 317 WebQuest 185,186,188,189 web-questing 185 websites 31, 38, 40, 54, 55, 56, 122, 136, 139, 140, 141, 142, 145, 144, 147, 150, 152, 153, 154, 155, 157, 159, 160, 186, 188, 211, 212, 215, 217,219,220,314,315,317 evaluating 144, 145, 147 wikis 173,217 websites 173 Wolverhampton LEA 30 Worcestershire LEA 30 Word 150,153,304 word-processing 170 software 301 work commitments 330 work management 222 work-based learners 242 work-based learning 181,233,243,330 work-based projects 242 work-based research 182 worksheets 37, 58, 59 workshops see online workshops World Wide Web 119 writing skills 164, 170, 174 writing styles 176 young adults 30

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