My mother always taught me if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all! But will that help our peer assessments?

EDUC300 Module 5 Synthesis

by Ilicia Kelly

             This has been a tough week, with emotions running high. The class (myself included) is visibly struggling through the assignments and I can almost see the blood, sweat, and tears on their posts. My work has been keeping me up so late each night that I'm actually sick with a severe head cold right now. I've actually run my body and mind into the ground! But the show must go on! This week, we have discussed our current rubric, ideas to improve it, opinions on TOOC, and how to improve our discussions to create a more lively debate.

            We explored the concepts of assessments so we can better understand the point of giving each other assessments at the end of our responses."The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning... The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark" (CMU). Formative assessment can be used as a guide by the instructor as a form of communication to lead the student in the right direction. It has little to no point value in the assessment. Summative assessment has a high value in grade to the student and evaluates the student and the quality of the assignment.

            The consensus was that giving a poor grade to another student was difficult because we didn't want to hurt feelings. We explored why peer assessment was important for learning and also why it's difficult to peer assess. "In such cases, peer reviewing (a common task for small group collaboration) is often superficial, unhelpful, and/or judgmental. It takes time to establish community, and 12 weeks (the common length of a semester in a paced program) is sometimes insufficient for those new to online learning to develop both the requisite skills and confidence to fully participate in collaborative learning" (IRRODL). It is difficult in an online course to really get acquainted with your classmates, so when you see a harsh criticism, it makes us instantly defensive. Although conflict may create a more interesting discussion, many of us may shy away from conflict. "Argumentation can bee seen as a crucial part of coordination in collaboration in the sense that participants try to change each other's point of view" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). It's hard to review your peer that you don't know very well and never met face to face, because such criticism won't be taken as well by a virtual stranger.

Cassandra made a good point that it's difficult to hurt people's feelings, and Josh stated that he would just search for the bests posts that he could give a 100 to and only respond to those. I am actually guilty of doing the same thing sometimes. I wouldn't even respond to the posts that were obviously lazy and lacked any proof of comprehension on the weeks work.

            Can arguments really expand the dialog? Are we really exploring information in this course that can cause an argument and a heated debate? Probably not, but adding a bit of spice to the discussion can result in more comprehensive learning and keep our interests. "Argumentation can bee seen as a crucial part of coordination in collaboration in the sense that participants try to change each other's point of view" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). It's hard to review your peer that you don't know very well and never met face to face, because such criticism won't be taken as well by a virtual stranger.

            How can we improve the rubric? I had an idea that I found from an interesting article. It states that peer assessment is an important tool, but using it in the right was is imperative to the success of a peer assessment. One idea was to incorporate three comments on the end of the response:

§                              One thing I really like about this is …

§                              One way to make this stronger could be …

§                              Did you ever think about …" (ASCD)

I think this could really help make the responses more authentic and create more of a conversation, rather than an exchange of the information we found for our original post.

            In TOOC this week, we explored concepts like Wiki tools for learning. It's a web app that lets others collaborate with information that you've acquired. I like using Wikipedia for information because it's always informative and I feel undervalued in it's merit, but having apps that help collect information would be super helpful in group activities for school or work. TOOC also had us do some readings that gave more background on Wikipedia and how it always uses reliable resources. "This means that we publish the opinions only of reliable authors, and not the opinions of Wikipedians who have read and interpreted primary source material for themselves" (Wikipedia).

            Dr Gusa asked us to identify our motives for being in this class. I fall into the category of "non-traditional students who have jobs, families, and carry a full load of classes. They are stretched to their limit" (Dr Gusa) and in that were many sub-categories. The categories that define myself are as follows; Dental hygiene major that needs this course to graduate with no interest in teaching online (no offense because I would prefer to teach in a clinical setting) and "students, because of integrity and pride will work hard to produce their best work, even if it kills them". I enjoy learning new things and different ways of looking at a subject. I enjoy learning tools that I can apply to many different aspects of my life. This is why I find that I am a constructivist learner. "Piaget posited that every learner has a mental representation of the world which he or she constructs through their experiences... If the new experience aligns with their mental representation, the learner assimilates it in the form of new knowledge into their existing schema" (Taxonomy of Learning Theories).

            During my associates degree, I was also able to forgo work and concentrate on my education. Now that I have 2 kids (3 if you count my husband), a full time job, and a home to maintain, it makes continuing my education so much more difficult than anything I have tried to achieve in my ENTIRE LIFE!! It's so important that I finish this degree that I am going without sleep or any free time just to do quality assignments and complete all papers/ activities. At this point, I am so close to finishing that it's become the hardest semester so far and I am tempted each day to quit. I know this is the time when you must push the hardest and the victory will be so much sweeter, but it doesn't change the fact that it's wearing me down into a puddle of stress. I also may skip the final revision in exchange for some sleep, but we can only do our best and hope for a good grade. I received a letter today stating that I have been awarded the College Academic Award because I have the highest senior cumulative grade point average in the Dental Hygiene curriculum!!! This may have been the hardest semester, but my hard work is paying off!

           

References:

 

O'Donell, A., Hmelo-Silver, C., & Erkins, G. (2006). Collaborative Learning, Reasoning, and Technology. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

 

Self Assessment- 100- I fulfilled all requirements of the rubric

Discussion Forums: The Extinction of Public Speaking

Module 3 Synthesis

EDUC300 by Ilicia Kelly

 

 

            This module, I learned many things about becoming an online teacher and the useful application of discussion forums. "Those researching collaborative forums argue that these opportunities increase negotiation, reflection, and knowledge building. Many argue that scientific research proceeds through a process of argumentation" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). In chapter 4, we learn about discussion forums and helpful ideas in building productive discussion forum topics that illicit useful conversations that stimulate higher learning. One of these  ideas are called "anchored instruction" where you "can focus students' efforts on sense making and knowledge building within a compelling, complex context  where multiple explanations and ideas can be explored" (O'Donnell, Hmelo-Silver & Erkens, 2006). Anchored instructions can help guide the path of the discussion without limiting the responses, which can encourage higher order thinking without restricting the student's imagination. I like discussions like that because it's easy to let the flow of the writing begin and allows the student to incorporate the learning from that section in any way they choose, without being penalized.

            In the reading "Learning Presence", the concept "epistemic-engagement" is described as learner commitment to active group knowledge building. "In this view the potential for online learning reflects processes of participatory practice, with designs that gradually assist learners to develop the language and skills of a disciplinary discourse community" (Learning Presence). How can we create epistemic engagement in an online learning class? One of the ways we can do this is through discussion forums. To get the class actively involved in each other is through interactions in a discussion forum. According to the reading "Benefits of Using Discussion Boards in Your Classes", discussion boards are reflective in nature. "They force students to read other perspectives and carefully consider a response." Discussion boards are a great learning tool for students who have social anxiety. Discussion boards also force students to use research from the class to support findings which creates more active learning for the students.

            Adrianne Poucher states that 'the question itself must then stimulate critical thinking and ease the flow of the discussion' and 'personal experiences contribute greatly to facilitating discussion' (Poucher). I agree with Adrianne because I've always felt more of a connection to any material that I learn if I incorporate it into my life and apply it to create more critical thinking and higher order learning. According to the reading "Benefits of Using Discussion Boards in Your Classes", discussion boards are reflective in nature. "They force students to read other perspectives and carefully consider a response." Discussion boards are a great learning tool for students who have social anxiety. Discussion boards also force students to use research from the class to support findings which creates more active learning for the students.

            How will theory inform your facilitation of online discussions? According to the reading "A Model for Designing Instructional Narratives for Adult Learners: Connecting the Dots" by Debra Smith, "shared story telling was a useful vehicle for collective centering and for confirming a collective sense in an organizational setting". Creating a topic based on the topic for the week, coupled with each student integrating that information into their own personal experiences and then sharing it with the class is shown to create more active learning and helps students feel more invested in the information and in each other which will facilitate more discussions.

            Antonia feels that we are placing too much emphasis on technology and becoming too dependent which is limiting human interaction. Like Antonia, I find American's dependence on technology very unsettling. While it has made our society more advanced and allowed us to do amazing things, it also limits human interaction and isolates us at the same time. In an article, Technology Imposes Social Isolation, it discusses how technology and social media may have opened us up to access to infinite information and people across the globe, but it has impeded our ability to develop social skills that are needed in life. "The presence of media sites such as Facebook and Twitter has had a negative influence on children and teenagers because of society’s increased reliance on these services as central forums of social interaction. Instead of cultivating the ability to interact with others in person, the shift to social media has led to the underdevelopment of these skills which are essential to living a successful and prosperous lifestyle" (Puget Sound Trial). There is nothing more obnoxious than sitting out to lunch with a friend and they sit on their phone checking facebook. I can't stand watching families out to eat and they all sit on their own iPad and don't talk to each other. What is happening to us? What is happening to playing outside, and talking about our day at dinner? Are we losing our abilities to communicate organically?

            What are best practices in facilitating discussions? Using open ended questions in the discussion forum will help facilitate discussions. Critical thinking is encouraged in open ended questions and will allow the students to take the assignment in their own direction, which will also allow for more interesting involvement in the classmates when they reply to the assignments. In the reading "a guide to authentic e-learning", the use of authentic e-learning in higher education has the capacity to reinvigorate online courses through the use of new participatory learning technologies, not only for delivery, but as a powerful cognitive tool and publication platform. It has the potential to renew individual teacher's enthusiasm for their online teaching by challenging them to create innovative and complex tasks that are so carefully crafter, they have the ability to facilitate student learning across a whole semester or a large part of it."

            How can connectivity inform our practice in online discussions? In the video, 'what bad teachers do in distance education', one of the things bad teachers can do is not provide personalized feedback, or be unavailable. The speaker states how important it is for online students to feel connected to the instructor. In discussion forums, it's important for the students to have a structured response rubric, be aware of the need to be respectful in responses, and to support statements with research. All of these things will create connectivity to each other and facilitate healthy discussions and more active learning.

 

Self Assessment- 100- I completed the rubric and used appropriate citations.

 

References:

 

O'Donnell, A., Hmelo-Silver, C., Erkens, G. (2006). Collaborative Learning, Reasoning, and Technology. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. New Jersey.