Examining Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Microblogging-Based Learning Environments

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the study is to provide foundational research to exemplify how knowledge construction takes place in microblogging-based learning environments, to understand learner interaction representing the knowledge construction process, and to analyze learner perception, thereby suggesting a model of delivery for microblogging. Background: Up-and-coming digital native learners crave the real-time, multimedia, global-interconnectedness of microblogging, yet there has been limited research that specifically proposes a working model of Twitter\u27s classroom integration for designers and practitioners without bundling it in with other social media tools. Methodology: This semester-long study utilized a case-study research design via a multi-dimensional approach in a hybrid classroom with both face-to-face and online environments. Tweets were collected from four types of activities and coded based on content within their contextual setting. Twenty-four college students participated in the study. Contribution: The findings shed light on the process of knowledge construction in microblogging and reveal key types of knowledge manifested during learning activities. The study also proposes a model for delivering microblogging to formal learning environments applicable to various contexts for designers and practitioners. Findings: There are distinct learner interaction patterns representing the process of knowledge construction in microblogging activities ranging from low-order to high-order cognitive tasks. Students generally were in favor of the Twitter integration in this study. Recommendations for Practitioners: The three central activities (exploring hashtags, discussion topics, and participating in live chats) along with the backchannel activity formulate a working model that represents the sequential process of Twitter integration into classrooms. Impact on Society: Microblogging allows learners omnichannel access while hashtags can filter the global noise down to meaningful bytes of information to target formal and informal learning. When shared amongst global users for participatory communication, it gives access to collaborative knowledge. This study gives practitioners and designers a working model to leverage microblogging and connect to their tech-savvy learners for more connected learning. Future Research: Future research may include experiments of this proposed model for delivering microblogging in: prolonged studies; compared to other microblogging methodologies; in non-hybrid delivery models such as asynchronous-only; in other academic or professional disciplines; or in other educational age ranges

Instructional Strategies and Activities that Inform the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework is one of the more widely used frameworks supporting online learning effectiveness. While there has been extensive research on the development and validation of the CoI framework and survey, less attention has been devoted toward implementation of a CoI and how practitioners design instructional strategies and activities that support this type of constructivist online learning environment. The research literature about the CoI along with phenomenological interviews with expert designers guided the creation of three products: the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Instructional Strategies and Activities Guide, Community of Inquiry (CoI) Instructional Strategies and Activities Job Aid, and the CoI Design Framework. These products were validated by an expert panel using a three-round Delphi study. As an original contribution in the field of computing technology in education, this design and development research has theoretical and practical significance. First, it serves as a springboard for further understanding and discussion of the gap between the CoI as a constructivist framework and the more prescriptive world of instructional design. Second, it expands the guidance for practitioners who desire to create a community of inquiry in an online learning environment

A framework of social-based learning interaction through social networking tool

The purpose of this research is to develop a framework of social-based learning interaction through the use of social networking tool; Facebook. The sample for this study was Masters’ students of Educational Technology program. The data collection was done through two phases. Phase 1 involved 49 students who responded to the questionnaire, and phase 2 involved 11 students and 2 instructors who participated in one semester’s online interaction via Facebook. This research employed a pre-experimental design, which involved a one-group pretest-posttest to measure the improvement in students’ academic performance after going through online interaction via Facebook. A questionnaire was used to collect data about students’ perceptions of instructor-student interaction (ISI), student-student interaction (SSI) and students’ social presence (SP) while Facebook discussion group was used to collect interaction data among students and instructors. Questionnaire data were analyzed through means and standard deviations and Facebook transcripts were analyzed through frequencies of each investigated category. Next, the data mining decision tree technique was used to identify which SSI categories contributed to higher students’ grades and the association rule was applied to establish a social-based learning interaction framework. The findings of the questionnaire showed that students have high perceptions of ISI (μ= 4.06) and SSI (μ= 4.18) via Facebook. Moreover, students showed high perceptions of their SP when using Facebook for learning (μ= 4.15). Findings from Wilcoxon’s Signed Ranks Test indicated a significant improvement in students’ performance in test after going through interaction via Facebook, while the effect size test confirmed the large effect of the interaction via Facebook on students’ performance. The findings from the Facebook transcripts showed that the instructors mostly used facilitating discourse (FD) followed by direct instruction (DI). Instructional design and organization (IDO) was the least frequently used category by the instructors. On the other side, students tended more to deliver clarification (C) followed by the interpretation category. Moreover, students transmitted more support (S) than reflection (Ref) or replies (Rep) to others’ questions and asking questions (Q) compare to the Judgment (J) category; which was the least frequently used category. Noticeably, students declined to transmit conflict, assertion and consensus-building statements during their interaction via Facebook. Additionally, students tended to promote more interactive responses (IR) than cohesive responses (CR) or affective responses (AR) in their SP. However, data mining analysis using the decision tree technique showed that students need to transmit more clarification (C) and interpretation (I) categories of SSI in order to achieve grade A in their tests. The social-based learning framework suggested that the FD and DI categories of ISI are associated with the Rep, C and I categories of SSI and the IR category of SP to assist students’ learning and enhance academic performance

Developing Online Communities: A Study Of The Processes That Facilitate And Foster Online Learning Communities

The purpose of this naturalistic case study was to investigate students’ perceptions of community at a mid-size American college. This study sought to identify the learning environments, interactions, and activities that are most predictive of developing and fostering a sense of community in online courses. Study participants were full-time teachers, librarians, or instructional technology facilitators working in K-12 environments. Qualitative and quantitative data included interviews; online learners’ experience surveys; transcripts of online discussions; recordings of synchronous sessions; and researcher observations. Data analysis was based in Charmaz’s (2006) constructivist approach to grounded theory. Findings revealed that 1) age and experience with online courses did not make a significant difference in perceived sense of online community for these participants; however, gender did; 2) learning environments influenced students’ perception of community; 3) shared experience and common goals contributed to the development of a sense of community; and 4) online collaboration and activities were viewed by the participants as products that inadvertently served to build community. The significance of this study lies in that it confirms that online communities can be the ideal medium for constructivist online teaching with internet and computer-mediated environments, thus ensuring success for adult learners in higher education

Embedding Online Based Learning Strategies Into the Engineering Technology Curriculum

Various blended learning strategies have been implemented at engineering technology programs to facilitate different learning styles and different time constraints given to faculty. Some of these efforts are related to the effective use of online tools such as online course management systems, ePortfolios, narrated presentations, web-based polling systems, tutorials and educational materials posted before the class and asynchronous learning methods. As technology changes, some of the online learning methods are getting more advanced which is enabling more innovative approaches and data compression. Various distance learning programs started with having access to videos of recorded lectures (on VHS tapes, or CDs) and further they went to use of new media which followed the use of online based strategies such as online management systems, use of social media, podcasts, and other means of communication to deliver the instruction. It became easier to share videos to a wider audiences and enable easier access to state of the art in development in new engineering areas. Accessing pre-recorded educational modules is now easier with new wireless gadgets, with widespread networking capabilities on campuses and outside the campus. In this way, students have opportunities to spend more time in interacting with faculty in class, not only in their assigned office hours. These teaching and learning methods are emphasizing a not so new educational principle, the Socratic method. This concept is especially important for universities with diverse student population which include working adult student population, students who are with the military, students who have families and all other which are non-traditional students who do not live on campus. In this paper, embedding online based learning strategies into the classroom efforts in Engineering Technology department at one midsize institution is discussed

Personal Learning Environments For Business Organizations

This exploratory, mixed-methods case study investigated supervisor/manager-level employees in a hospital health care organization to examine how they created and used personal learning environments (PLEs), what internet/Web 2.0 technologies were used to solve work-related problems (or for professional development), and what strategies were engaged to meet learning goals. Research questions addressed: what internet/Web 2.0 technologies were used to find and retrieve information, build networks, collaborate, and create and share knowledge; what triggered employees to use internet/Web 2.0 technologies to solve work-related problems; how they evaluated information found; how they determined completion of learning goals; how much confidence they had in their in their abilities to locate, analyze, and use information; what actions they took; and what types of learning activities they engaged in. Results indicated that the work environment influences decisions employees made regarding use of internet/Web 2.0 technologies. Almost 40% of survey participants reported that they did not use social network sites. Two factors played an inhibitory role: (1) perceptions of lack of organizational support for use of these technologies and (2) concern over accidental violation of confidentiality rules specific to the healthcare industry. The majority of study participants were confident in their abilities to find, critically analyze, and apply information they found (an important requisite for success in a PLE). Participants rated “traditional” technologies of online courses and Webcasts as having the most credible information. In general, learning needs for interviewees were stimulated when they needed more information to answer questions. Participants judged the quality of their learning based on a sense of accomplishment and on the end result, as well on opinions of others (e.g., co-workers and supervisors) or on a set of industry standards. The top six learning activities listed were: accessing email, accessing the internet, reading information on the internet or social media sites, seeking consultation, participating in webinars, and online courses offered by the company. The nature of participants’ PLEs, as defined in this study, were in early stages of development, both in the variety and complexity of the tools/technologies being employed, and in the learning strategies used

European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN). Conference Proceedings

Erasmus+ Programme of the European UnionThe powerful combination of the information age and the consequent disruption caused by these unstable environments provides the impetus to look afresh and identify new models and approaches for education (e.g. OERs, MOOCs, PLEs, Learning Analytics etc.). For learners this has taken a fantastic leap into aggregating, curating and co-curating and co-producing outside the boundaries of formal learning environments – the networked learner is sharing voluntarily and for free, spontaneously with billions of people.Supported by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Unioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Constructing the Learning Environment in Classroom Convivial Computer Tools for Higher Education

New education technologies are coming on stream, enabling connectivity among teachers, facilitators and students. Students have to learn how to access Managed Learning Environments each time they move to different course websites. These barriers can hinder the real understanding of the subject matter for a course. This research calls for a rethink of pedagogical process towards blending together commonly used emerging social software and legacy educational tools rather than developing new tools for the classroom. Indeed, a learning tool should fit well to the learning model and philosophy of that course. Three case studies were conducted through different courses in the Digital Media master program and Informatik program at the University of Bremen, Germany. Students worked in small groups to design digital media and learning portal that should make learning more interesting and meaningful for them. At the end, this research proposes the concept of Constructing the Learning Environment in classroom and Convivial Computer Tools for higher education, where students and teachers, via dialogues in the class, can negotiate to deploy a set of selected tools and functions to match their learning needs. It is also to show that a tool with too many functions can cause confusion, rather than enhance effectiveness. To empower collaborative, interactive and personal learning, this work proposes the blended learning and classroom procedures for a convivial selection of educational tools. At the end, our innovative attempt is to bring constructionist learning into the higher education context