Teaching practical science online using GIS: a cautionary tale of coping strategies

Strong demand for GIS and burgeoning cohorts have encouraged the delivery of GIS teaching via online distance education models. This contribution reviews a brief foray (2012–2014) into this field by the Open University, deploying open source GIS software to enable students to perform practical science investigations online. The “Remote observation” topic spanned four science disciplines in 6 weeks – an ambitious remit within an innovative overarching module. Documenting the challenges and strategies involved, this paper uses forum usage and student feedback data to derive insights into the student experience and the pitfalls and pleasures of teaching GIS at a distance

Références bibliographiques

ADAM, J.-M. (1998) : « Les genres du discours épistolaire. De la rhétorique à l’analyse pragmatique des pratiques discursives », in Siess, J., éd. : La lettre entre réel et fiction, Sedes : 37-53. AMITAY, E. (1999) : « Anchors in context », in Pemberton, L., Shurville, S., éds, Words on the Web - Computer Mediated Communication, Intellect Books, Bristol. ANIS, J. (1998) : Texte et ordinateur. L’écriture réinventée ? De Boeck Université, Bruxelles. ANIS, J., éd. (1999) : Internet, communicatio..

Taking E-Moderating skills to the next level: Reflecting on the design of conferencing environments

This paper reports an analysis of computer conference structures set up for a distance education course in which major components of the teaching and learning involve group discussions and collaboration via asynchronous text-based conferencing. As well as adopting traditional e-moderator roles, tutors were required to design appropriate online spaces and navigation routes for students. Tutors’ views concerning conference structures focussed on tensions between enabling easy access to conference areas, facilitating the successful running of activities, and addressing students’ subsequent needs for retrieval of conference material for assessment tasks. The geographically dispersed course tutors initially explored these issues in reflective online conversations. Comparisons were made between structures that were set up differently but all used for essentially the same tasks and purposes. Evidence from conference messages, from student feedback given in questionnaire and interview responses, as well as from students’ written assignments, provided insights into the impact such structures may have on the student learning experience. Students found conference areas for their own group easy to navigate, but they had concerns about managing the large number of messages; these concerns centred on the volume, threading, linking, length, and language of messages

Investigating design features of a computer-mediated communication system

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is increasingly used in higher education, but it is not without problems. The effectiveness of CMC depends on many factors, including the characteristics of CMC systems themselves. The research reported here therefore aimed to investigate how an educational CMC system might be improved, in order to support learning more effectively. The main context for the research was distance learning at the UK Open University (OU). A two-stage, mixed methods research approach was adopted. In the first stage, interviews and observations were carried out to explore the benefits and problems experienced by users. This revealed two major issues: information overload and lack of social presence. Information overload relates to users’ problems dealing with large numbers of messages. Social presence relates to the need for users to feel connected with each other. The second stage investigated system features aimed at addressing these issues, implemented in a prototype computer conferencing system. Features to address overload included branched message threading and user recommendations. Features to address social presence were ‘résumés’ and instant messaging. These features were evaluated using questionnaires, with several cohorts of students in an OU course. Students expressed approval of the features, although some features were not widely used. Students preferred branched threading to chronological threading because branching helped them to follow ‘conversations’. Students were uncomfortable recommending messages, feeling that the value of a message would vary between people. They were also uncomfortable using instant messaging to contact others whom they did not know. However, the awareness aspect of instant messaging provided a sense of solidarity. The research demonstrated that the problems of overload and lack of social presence are significant, and each has social aspects which must be addressed. Students’ relationships with each other affect whether and how they use the features of CMC systems. We can conclude that particular attention must be paid to the social aspects of online communication, both when designing educational CMC systems and when considering how they are used. To maximise the benefits for learning, students need to feel comfortable with each other online, and there are few short cuts to achieving this

Participating in Synchronous Online Education

There is an increasing need for education since the workforce of today is expected to be highly educated and continuously learn. Distance education is a powerful response to meet the growing need for education. Online education, here concisely defined as distance education mediated online, is the most common type of distance education. It mainly relies on asynchronous communication although it is well known that many students regard the lack of synchronous communication as disadvantageous. This thesis aims to achieve a deeper understanding of how, why and when synchronous communication, as a complement to asynchronous communication, affects student participation in online education. In order to study the complex phenomenon of online student participation, various qualitative and quantitative data collection methods for assessing both perceived participation and actual participation were used. The aim was investigated in two offerings of an online undergraduate course and two series of online discussions on master level, and by conducting focus group interviews with experienced practitioners. The findings indicate that synchronous communication has the potential to enhance online student participation. Light was shed on two dimensions of participation, which were labelled personal participation and cognitive participation. The thesis suggests that synchronous communication, as a complement to asynchronous communication, may better support personal participation. This is likely to induce arousal and motivation, and increased convergence on meaning, especially in smaller groups. Synchronous communication seems particularly beneficial for supporting task and social support relations, and to exchange information with a lower degree of complexity. By drawing on the studies of the thesis and previous research, propositions on when to support synchronous communication in online education were suggested

Arguing on-line and off: a study of students' argumentation in the context of computer-mediated discussion and individually written assignments.

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Mentored Engagement of Secondary Science Students, Plant Scientists, and Teachers in an Inquiry-Based Online Learning Environment

PlantingScience (PS) is a unique web-based learning system designed to develop secondary students' scientific practices and proficiencies as they engage in hands-on classroom investigations while being mentored online by a scientist. Some students' teachers had the opportunity to attend PS professional development (PD). In this dissertation, I developed a process of assessing student learning outcomes associated with their use of this system and evaluated inquiry engagement within this system. First, I developed a valid and reliable instrument (Online Elements of Inquiry Checklist; OEIC) to measure participants' (students, scientists, and teachers) engagement in scientific practices and proficiencies embedded within an inquiry cycle I collaborated with an expert-group to establish the OEIC's construct and content validities. An inter-rater reliability coefficient of 0.92 was established by scientists and a split half analysis was used to determine the instruments' internal consistency (Spearman-Brown coefficient of 0.96). Next, I used the OEIC to evaluate inquiry cycle engagement by the participants who used the PS online platform designed by the Botanical Society of America which facilitated communication between participants. Students provided more evidence of engagement in the earlier phases of an inquiry cycle. Scientists showed a similar trend but emphasized experimental design and procedures. Teachers rarely engaged online. Exemplary students' outcomes followed similar inquiry cycle trends, but with more evidence of engagement with one notable difference. Exemplary students provided evidence for extensive engagement in immersion activities, implicating immersion as a crucial component of successful inquiry cycle engagement. I also compared engagement outcomes of students whose teachers attended the PD experience to the students of teachers who did not attend PD. Differences found between the two groups occurred throughout the inquiry cycle, typically associated with experiences provided during the PD. As a result of this research I have several recommendations about revisions to the PS online platform and use of approaches to assure students development of scientific practices and proficiencies. The recommendations include additional scaffolding of the platform, explicit inquiry cycle instruction, and continued opportunities for teachers to engage in PD experiences provided by PS

Apprentissage du français dans une université anglophone au Cameroun : de l’expérience du quasi-synchrone à un nouveau modèle d’intégration des TIC

Information and Communication Technologies are now part of the life of many institutions of higher education, secondary education and even primary education. The benefits for these institutions, as well as for teachers and learners are established. However, there are very few cases of experiments carried out in learning Institutions with positive results.This thesis is about integrating ICTs into a French course in the Anglo-Saxon university of Buea in Cameroon. The context in which the course is taught in classrooms makes it difficult for the objectives to be met. Because of the large class size, the little time allocated to the course and the heterogeneous nature of students’ language levels, speaking, writing and interactional skills are not worked out in class. This action research thesis sets out to propose a blended learning set-up that hinges around the university IT Centre. Online classes are articulated with classroom sessions. Thus, students have the opportunity to involve in small groups, in communicative activities and in quasi synchronous mode. These communication modality, very often less studied by CMC researchers, is an efficient alternative to synchronous communication and environments that are very much reliable as far as internet quality is concerned in that part of the world. The general question that has driven the research is: How can a technology instrumented approach help in overcoming difficulties and ease learning? To answer that question, two technology based experiences were carried out. They were guided by a research protocol. Data collected enable me to analyse interactions and determine traces of language acquisition. From the circumstances surrounding the experiments, it is discovered that there are a number of obstacles to the integration of ICT in “low tech context” like that which is studied. The technology-based stet-up pattern is then questioned. This research work goes further to propose mobile learning as an alternative to the ICT integration model that concentrates all the resources in a single location.Les Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC) font désormais partie du paysage de nombreux établissements d’enseignement supérieur, secondaire et même primaire en Afrique. Les avantages pour l’Institution, l’enseignant et l’apprenant sont avérés (Mvoto Meyong, 2010). Cependant les expériences, à l’échelle des établissements de formation, sont encore peu nombreuses et peu concluantes.Cette thèse porte sur l’intégration des TIC dans un cours de français pour anglophones à l’université de Buéa au Cameroun. Le cours traditionnel, dans sa version uniquement présentiel en classe, se déroule dans un contexte limitant fortement la satisfaction d’objectifs pédagogiques essentiels. En effet, les effectifs pléthoriques, le peu de temps alloué à la formation, l’hétérogénéité des groupes d’apprenants font que les compétences de production ainsi que les compétences en interaction des intéressés ne peuvent être développées. En réponse à cet existant, cette thèse, de type recherche-action, présente un dispositif hybride articulant travail en classe et dans le centre technologique de l’université. Là sont offertes des activités de communication en petits groupes dans une modalité quasi-synchrone. Cette modalité, peu souvent étudiée dans la littérature de recherche, offre une alternative réaliste aux environnements synchrones peu fiables, compte tenu de l’état des réseaux et de l’Internet dans cette partie du monde.Afin d’étudier si ce nouveau dispositif de formation permet de dépasser les difficultés évoquées et de faciliter l’apprentissage, je l’ai déployé deux années successives, en l’entourant d’un protocole de recherche. Les données recueillies m’ont permis d’analyser les interactions, de mettre en évidence les traces d’apprentissage. Mais cette double expérimentation apporte aussi un nouvel éclairage au travers de l’analyse des obstacles qui ont handicapé la mise en oeuvre du dispositif technopédagogique. Je questionne le modèle d’intégration des TIC qui traditionnellement concentre toutes les ressources en un seul endroit, sans tenir compte des contextes technologiquement limités. J’esquisse une voie alternative destinée, grâce à l’apprentissage mobile, à intégrer les TIC dans des dispositifs de formation de langues et un contexte technologique proches de notre situation prototypique

Educação online: interacção e estilos de aprendizagem de alunos do ensino superior numa plataforma web

As mudanças aceleradas que estão a ocorrer nos vários sectores da sociedade, principalmente a nível tecnológico, colocam os cidadãos perante uma diversidade de novos problemas, com vários graus de complexidade, os quais exigem novas competências, novas estratégias e permanente adaptação ao mundo envolvente. A dinâmica da sociedade de informação e do conhecimento conduz à definição e utilização de novas estratégias de vida, à construção de novos saberes e de novas formas de gestão, assim como de fontes de conhecimento, de novos modos de aprender e de actualização, numa perspectiva de formação permanente ao longo da vida. No sentido de contribuir para a evolução, a inovação e a integração das tecnologias de informação e comunicação na sociedade, desenvolveu-se uma reflexão, acerca do tema educação online, orientada, principalmente, a partir da revisão bibliográfica e da execução de procedimentos no âmbito de um estudo de caso, que envolveu na sua implementação 32 alunos do ensino superior e uma plataforma de ensino e aprendizagem, designada por alfamat. Esta plataforma, suportada pela Internet, entre outras características, disponibiliza ferramentas de comunicação síncrona e de comunicação assíncrona. Constituíram preocupações deste estudo compreender a adequação da plataforma alfamat ao processo de ensino e de aprendizagem e analisar as percepções dos alunos relativamente à sua utilização e adaptação aos estilos individuais de aprendizagem. A questão de investigação que orientou o estudo foi: ”os ambientes de aprendizagem online são adequados ao desenvolvimento do processo de ensino e aprendizagem dos alunos do ensino superior, tendo em conta os seus estilos de aprendizagem?”. Dos vários temas desenvolvidos a partir desta questão foi dada particular ênfase aos seguintes: as percepções dos alunos acerca dos ambientes de aprendizagem online; a interacção entre os alunos em ambientes de aprendizagem online; as percepções dos alunos acerca da adequação da plataforma alfamat aos estilos de aprendizagem. Os principais resultados foram obtidos em contexto real de ensino e aprendizagem, com a utilização da plataforma alfamat, como apoio à implementação de um curso de ensino presencial. Os instrumentos de recolha de dados foram construídos e validados no contexto do estudo, sendo os dados organizados e analisados pela autora no âmbito da abordagem de estudo de caso que orientou os trabalhos de investigação. Dos resultados obtidos salienta-se a apreciação muito favorável pelos sujeitos do grupo de estudo da adequação do ambiente alfamat à consecução dos objectivos de ensino e aprendizagem, reforçando com aspectos positivos a complementaridade de ferramentas de comunicação síncrona e assíncrona na mesma plataforma. Os alunos valorizaram a metodologia usada, discutindo os assuntos da disciplina de um modo bastante profundo em fóruns de discussão e de um modo mais espontâneo e natural em chat. As intervenções dos alunos, sob a orientação da professora, geraram uma dinâmica de partilha de informação, de negociação de sentido dos conceitos e de construção conjunta de conhecimento. Salienta-se o reconhecimento, pelos alunos, da adequação dos ambientes online aos seus estilos de aprendizagem, contudo há alunos que se sentem mais confortáveis em fóruns, enquanto outros manifestam idêntica opinião relativamente ao chat.The fast changes that are occurring within various sectors of society, mainly on the technological level place the citizens before a diversity of new problems, with some degrees of complexity, which demand new abilities, new strategies and permanent adaptation to the involving world. The dynamics of the of information and knowledge society leads to the definition and use of new strategies of life, to the new forms of knowledge construction and management, as well as knowledge sources management, new ways to learn and update, in a perspective of continuous life long learning. With the intention of contributing to the evolution, the innovation and the integration of the information and communication technologies in the society, a reflection was developed, concerning the subject education online, guided, mainly, from the bibliographical revision and the execution of procedures in the scope of a case study, that involved in its implementation 32 students enrolled in a College Undergraduate Program setting and a platform Web, assigned by alfamat. This platform, supported by the Internet, among others characteristic, provides tools of synchronous communication and asynchronous communication. Main goals of this case study concern the understanding of the adequacy of the platform alfamat to the educational process and the analysis of the perceptions of the students to its use and adaptation to the individual styles of learning. The main inquiry question that guided the study was: “Are the learning environments online adjusted to the development of learning process of the graduation students, having in account its styles of learning?". On developed subjects from this specific question, emphasis was given to the following ones: the perceptions of students concerning online learning environments; the interaction among students in online learning environments; the perceptions of the students concerning the adequacy of the platform alfamat to the learning styles. The main results were achieved in real context of education, with the use of the platform alfamat, as a support to the implementation of a regular course. The data collecting tools were constructed and validated in the context of the research design, being the data organized and analyzed by the author from the perspective of a case study approach. From the data gathered it is important to stress its positive appreciation and the evidence that it is adequate to the achievement of the objectives of education in the environment alfamat, strengthening with the positive aspects the complementary of tools of synchronous and asynchronous communication in the same platform. The students valued the used methodology, arguing the subjects of disciplines in a sufficiently deep way in forums and in a more spontaneous and natural way in a chat. The contributions of the students, under the orientation of the teacher, generated a dynamics of sharing of information, negotiation of the concepts and joint construction of knowledge. Still to salient is the recognition, of the students, of the adequacy of online environments to its styles of learning, however some students felt more comfortable in forums, while others revealed relatively identical opinion to the chat

Following the thread in computer conferences

Computer conferencing systems allow students to discuss their ideas and learn from each other. However, the asynchronous nature of these discussions can result in large and complex collections of messages. Threading facilities help students to cope with this by structuring their discussions into parallel ‘conversations’. This paper discusses an investigation of students’ use of threading in two different conferencing systems. The context for the study was a small-group collaborative assignment in an Open University course. Conference transcripts were studied, and ‘message maps’ were created, in order to investigate the threading links made by students, in relation to the semantic links between the messages. The results show that the way in which threads are represented in a conferencing system can have a significant effect on how students use the system, and on the character of the resulting discussions