Wikis in higher education

For many years universities communicated generic graduate attributes (e.g. global citizenship) their students have acquired after studying. Graduate attributes are skills and competencies that are relevant for both employability and other aspects of life (Barrie, 2004). Over the past years and due to the Bologna Process, the focus on competencies has also found its way into universities' curricula. As a consequence, curricula were adapted in order to convey students both in-depth knowledge of a particular area as well as generic competences (Bologna Working Group on Qualifications Framework, 2005, Appendix 8). For example, students with a Master's degree should be able to “communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously” (p. 196). This shift has been supported by the demand of the labour market for students that have achieved social and personal competencies, in addition to in-depth knowledge (Heidenreich, 2011). On course level, this placed emphasis on collaborative learning, which had led to “greater autonomy for the learner, but also to greater emphasis on active learning, with creation, communication and participation” (Downes, 2005). The shift to collaborative learning has been supported by existing learning theories and models (Brown et al., 1989; Lave and Wenger, 1991; Vygotsky, 1978), which could explain the educational advantages. For example, collaborative learning has proved to promote critical thinking and communications skills (Johnson and Johnson, 1994; Laal and Ghodsi, 2012). As Haythornthwaite (2006) advocates: “collaborative learning holds the promise of active construction of knowledge, enhanced problem articulation, and benefits exploring and sharing information and knowledge gained from peer-to-peer communication” (p. 10). The term collaboration defies clear definition (Dillenbourg, 1999). In this article, cooperation is seen as the division of labour in tasks, which allows group members to work independently, whereas collaboration needs continuous synchronisation and coordination of labour (Dillenbourg et al., 1996; Haythornthwaite, 2006). Therefore, cooperation allows students to subdivide task assignments, work relatively independent, and to piece the results together to one final product. In contrast, collaboration is seen as a synchronous and coordinated effort of all students to accomplish their task assignment resulting in a final product where “no single hand is visible” (Haythornthwaite, 2006, p. 12). Due to the debate about digital natives (Prensky, 2001) and “students' heavy use of technology” in private life (Luo, 2010, p. 32), teachers have started to explore possible applications of modern technology in teaching and learning. Especially wikis have become popular and gained reasonable attention in higher education. Wikis have been used to support collaborative learning (e.g. Cress and Kimmerle, 2008), collaborative writing (e.g. Naismith et al., 2011), and student engagement (e.g. Neumann and Hood, 2009). A wiki is a “freely expandable collection of interlinked Web ‘pages’, a hypertext system for storing and modifying information - a database, where each page is easily editable by any user” (Leuf and Cunningham, 2001, p. 14; italics in original). Thereby, wikis enable the collaborative construction of knowledge (Alexander, 2006). With the intention to take advantage of the benefits connected with collaborative learning, this doctoral thesis focuses on the facilitation of collaboration in wikis to leverage collaborative learning. The doctoral thesis was founded on a constructivist understanding of reality. The research is associated with three different research areas: adoption of IT, computer-supported collaborative learning, and learning analytics. After reviewing existing literature, three focal points were identified that correspond to the research gaps in these research areas: factors influencing students' use of wikis, assessment of collaborative learning, and monitoring of collaboration. The aims of this doctoral thesis were (1) to investigate students' intentions to adopt and barriers to use wikis in higher education, (2) to develop and evaluate a method for assessing computer-supported collaborative learning, and (3) to map educational objectives onto learning-related data in order to establish indicators for collaboration. Based on the research aims, four studies were carried out. Each study raised unique research questions that has been addressed by different methods. Thereby, this doctoral thesis presents findings covering the complete process of the use of wikis to support collaboration and thus provides a holistic view on the use of wikis in higher education.:Introduction Theoretical foundation Research areas and focal points Research aims and questions Methods Findings Conclusions References Essay 1: Factors influencing wiki collaboration in higher education Essay 2: Students' intentions to use wikis in higher education Essay 3: Facilitating collaboration in wikis Essay 4: Using fsQCA to identify indicators for wiki collaboratio

THE EFFECTS OF SELF-EFFICACY ON LEARNERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COGNITIVE PRESENCE IN ONLINE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES

The applications of web2.0 platforms provide online learning opportunities to focus more on community collaborations as well as the knowledge construction. Cognitive presence (CP) is one of the most critical elements of community of inquiry, and ideal learning outcomes would require deeper stages of cognitive presence (integration and resolution stages), that usually difficult to achieve. Past research on CP felt short in investigating the influences of individual differences, including the effects of learners’ internal motivation on higher-order thinking. We consider Self-efficacy is one of such as it emphasizes a combination of learners’ motivation and cognition. This study intends to explore the influence of learners’ online learning self-efficacy on CP, as well as to explore the relationship between learners’ CP and learning achievements.An experiment was conducted to verify the above issues. Participants were 8th graders from a vocational school. They were required to complete their learning tasks through online collaboration by Facebook and Google Cloud. Questionnaires were applied to measure learners’ CP and self-efficacy after study. Results show that phase’s distribution of learners’ CP in this study is satisfying, and there are significant correlations between CP and self-efficacy as well as CP and learning achievements. Therefore, this study suggests that instructors should take different strategies for students with different self-efficacy and take some strategies which can enhance self-efficacy.&nbsp

Collective knowledge advancement as a pedagogical practice in teacher education. An explorative case study of student group work with wiki assignments in the interplay between an offline and a global online setting

ENGELSK: The aim of this dissertation was to describe and analyze collective knowledge advancement (CKA) as a pedagogical practice in teacher education. The background is that Internet permits new types of authentic knowledge production that make it possible for anyone to make contributions (e.g., Wikipedia). In the future, it is expected that schools and teacher education institutions will let students make contributions in these online settings to a greater degree. The present study explored how student groups worked with different wiki assignments in one specific teacher education course. A range of different types of data (group interviews, video data, screen capture data, and wiki log data) were collected. By utilizing two theoretical concepts (germ cell and contradictions) from cultural-historical activity theory, help was identified as the singular entity that exhibited the simplest possible characteristics of CKA as a pedagogical practice. On the basis of these findings, it was concluded that three different types of help are particularly important. These include help as informal peer feedback, which relies on spontaneous verbalization of ongoing thoughts, and help that is provided through the open publication of student work in the online setting. The third type of help requires that all students be assigned as helpers for each other so they can share the workload more equally. This dissertation contributes to educational research in five ways. First, the findings indicate that different types of informal teaching are important components of CKA as a pedagogical practice. Second, the results also describe new types of authentic learning that build on interactions between students and outsiders in the online setting. Third, the findings suggest that it is possible to turn campus-based teaching into a “practicum period” by letting students experiment with new types of collaboration. Fourth, the findings show that a polycontextual pedagogical practice emerges in the interplay between an offline setting and several different online settings. Finally, the analysis demonstrated that the notion of a germ cell provides a powerful means of studying different types of pedagogical practice. NORSK: Denne avhandlingen har som formål å beskrive og analysere kollektiv kunnskapsutvikling som en pedagogisk praksis i lærerutdanningen. Bakgrunnen er at internett nå muliggjør mange nye typer autentisk kunnskapsproduksjon der hvem som helst kan være med å bidra (for eksempel Wikipedia). Man vil kunne forvente at både lærerutdanning og skoler i større grad vil la elever være aktive bidragsytere i slike online-miljø. Denne forskningsstudien utforsker hvordan studenter samarbeider når de løser ulike wikioppgaver på et studium i lærerutdanningen. Flere ulike typer data har blitt samlet inn (gruppeintervju, videoopptak av studentsamarbeid, skjermaktivitet på datamaskin og wikilogg). Ved å ta i bruk to teoretiske begreper (kimcelle og kontradiksjoner) fra kulturhistorisk aktivitetsteori, så blir hjelp identifisert som den minste meningsfulle enheten som beskriver hva som karakteriserer kollektiv kunnskapsutvikling som en pedagogisk praksis. Studien viser at særlig tre spesifikke typer hjelp er viktig. Den første typen er hjelp som skjer i form av uformelle tilbakemeldinger mellom medstudenter. Her oppstår den spontant i verbale samtaler. Den andre typen er hjelp som blir gitt ved åpen publisering av studentarbeid i ulike online-miljø. Det tredje typen hjelp består i at alle studenter bør ha en rolle som hjelpere for hverandre i undervisningen slik at arbeidsbyrden blir fordelt mer rettferdig. Denne avhandlingen bidrar til utdanningsforskningen på fem ulike måter. For det første viser den at ulike typer uformell undervisning er sentrale i en pedagogisk praksis som bygger på kollektiv kunnskapsutvikling. For det andre beskriver funnene en ny type autentisk læring som bygger på kommunikasjon mellom studenter og utenforstående i et online-miljø. For det tredje viser funnene at lærerstudentene kan få en form for “praksistrening” på campus ved å eksperimentere med nye samarbeidsformer. For det fjerde viser funnene at den pedagogiske praksis kan analyseres som polykontekstuell fordi studentene deltar i både et lokalt offline-miljø og flere online-miljø. For det femte viser analysen at begrepet kimcelle kan brukes for å prøve å få en dypere forståelse for hva som kjennetegner ulike pedagogiske praksiser.publishedVersio

Adding some TEC-variety: 100+ activities for motivating and retaining learners online

The TEC-VARIETY framework purposely takes into account current technology trends and attempts to stimulate their use in pedagogically effective ways. As such, it rests at the intersection of such exciting educational affordances brought about by emerging learning technologies, intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation-related theories, and the rapidly shifting perspectives on teaching and learning philosophies and approaches. For online educators who are frustrated with never-ending waves of technology and the lack of training on how to effectively use them in their courses, we hope that the TEC-VARIETY framework can offer a ray of sunshine and a new beginning for online educators worldwide. As part of that hope, such educators might find activities and strategies that they can make use of to nurture engagement and success online. These strategies can breathe life into current classes and programs that are failing to engage their learners. They tap into learners’ inner resources and desires to learn and grow toward a better future. At the same time, they can invite the global sharing of ideas and knowledge as part of a worldwide community or family of learners

Open Pedagogy Approaches: Faculty, Library, and Student Collaborations

Open Pedagogy Approaches: Faculty, Library, and Student Collaborations is a collection of case studies from higher education institutions across the United States. An open educational resource (OER) in its own right, it offers a diverse compilation of OER and open pedagogy projects grounded in faculty, library, and student collaborations. Open Pedagogy Approaches provides ideas, practical tips, and inspiration for educators willing to explore the power of open, whether that involves a small innovation or a large-scale initiative. Particularly during this pandemic, as libraries struggle against publisher limitations to offer traditional print texts in e-format, libraries are a natural partner in the creation and facilitation of open educational resources and practices. “Going open” offers innovative alternatives that can equitably shift the culture of student access and empowerment in learning. List of chapters: Editor\u27s Preface / Alexis Clifton Foreword / Robin DeRosa Introduction / Kimberly Davies Hoffman, Robert Berkman, Deborah Rossen-Knill, Kristen Totleben, Eileen Daly-Boas, Alexis Clifton, Moriana Garcia, Lev Earle, and Joe Easterly Evolving into the Open: A Framework for Collaborative Design of Renewable Assignments / Stacy Katz and Jennifer Van Allen Informed Open Pedagogy and Information Literacy Instruction in Student-Authored Open Projects / Cynthia Mari Orozco Approaching Open Pedagogy in Community and Collaboration / Caroline Sinkinson and Amanda McAndrew Open Pedagogy Big and Small: Comparing Open Pedagogy Efforts in Large and Small Higher Education Settings / Shanna Hollich and Jacob Moore Adapting Open Educational Course Materials in Undergraduate General Psychology: A Faculty-Librarian-Student Partnership / Dennis E. Schell, Dorinne E. Banks, and Neringa Liutkaite Reading British Modernist Texts: A Case in Open Pedagogy / Mantra Roy, Joe Easterly, and Bette London Humanities in the Open: The Challenges of Creating an Open Literature Anthology / Christian Beck, Lily J. Dubach, Sarah A. Norris, and John Venecek A 2-for-1 Deal: Earn Your AA While Learning About Information Literacy Using OER / Mary Lee Cunill, Sheri Brown, and Tia Esposito Mathematics Courses and the Ohio Open Ed Collaborative: Collaborative Course Content Building for Statewide Use / Daniel Dotson, Anna Davis, Amanda L. Folk, Shanna Jaggars, Marcos D. Rivera, and Kaity Prieto Library Support for Scaffolding OER-enabled Pedagogy in a General Education Science Course / Lindsey Gumb and Heather Miceli Sharing the End of the World: Students’ Perceptions of Their Self-Efficacy in the Creation of Open Access Digital Learning Objects / Sarah Hutton, Lisa Di Valentino, and Paul Musgrave Teaching Wikipedia: A Model for Critical Engagement with Open Information / Amanda Koziura, Jennifer M. Starkey, and Einav Rabinovitch-Fox “And Still We Rise”: Open Pedagogy and Black History at a Rural Comprehensive State College / Joshua F. Beatty, Timothy C. Hartnett, Debra Kimok, and John McMahon Building a Collection of Openly Licensed Student-Developed Videos / Ashley Shea Whose History?: Expanding Place-Based Initiatives Through Open Collaboration / Sean D. Visintainer, Stephanie Anckle, and Kristen Weischedel Scholarly Bridges: SciComm Skill-Building with Student-Created Open Educational Resources / Carrie Baldwin-SoRelle and Jennifer M. Swann Harnessing the Power of Student-Created Content: Faculty and Librarians Collaborating in the Open Educational Environment / Bryan James McGeary, Ashwini Ganeshan, and Christopher S. Guder Open Pedagogical Practices to Train Undergraduates in the Research Process: A Case Study in Course Design and Co-Teaching Strategies / Stephanie N. Lewis, Anne M. Brown, and Amanda B. MacDonald Open Pedagogical Design for Graduate Student Internships, A New Collaborative Model / Laurie N. Taylor and Brian Keith Adventures in a Connectivist MOOC on Open Learning / Susan J. Erickson Invitation to Innovation: Transforming the Argument-Based Research Paper to Multimodal Project / Denise G. Malloy and Sarah Siddiqui “What If We Were To Go?”: Undergraduates Simulate the Building of an NGO From Theory To Practice / Kimberly Davies Hoffman, Rose-Marie Chierici, and Amanda Spencehttps://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/geneseo-authors/1010/thumbnail.jp

Review of Learning 2.0 Practices: Study on the Impact of Web 2.0 Innovations on Education and Training in Europe

Over the last few years, ¿web 2.0¿ or ¿social computing¿ applications like blogs, wikis, photo- and video-sharing sites, as well as online social networking sites and virtual worlds, have seen unprecedented take up. This has changed the way people access, manage and exchange knowledge, and the way they connect and interact. Younger people especially are using these tools and services as a natural way of extending their personal relations and as a means of keeping in touch with friends. This trend is accompanied by the emergence of structurally different learning styles, especially among young people. As a result, living, learning and working patterns have already changed significantly and are expected to change even more dramatically in the future. Education and training systems need innovative ways of fostering new skills for new jobs, taking into account the changing living, working and learning patterns in a digital society. So far, however, education and training systems have not, on the whole, reacted to these changes. Neither schools nor universities have seized the potential of digital media for enhancing learning and addressing their learners¿ needs. Due to the novelty of social computing, take up in education and training is still in an experimental phase. There are various diverse small-scale projects and initiatives all over Europe, which try to exploit social computing for a multitude of learning purposes, but research on enabling and disabling factors is scarce. This study is part of a collaboration project between the European Commission¿s Joint Research Centre (JRC-IPTS) and its Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC). The objective is to investigate the innovative and inclusive potential of social computing applications in formal education by reviewing current practice. The report identifies, structures and analyses existing Learning 2.0 practice in Europe with a view to generating evidence on the impact of social computing for learning and its potential in promoting innovation and inclusion. It combines a review of research on Learning 2.0 with the collection of experience and good practice from a broad variety of cases.JRC.J.4-Information Societ