Orquestar ayudas para el aprendizaje colaborativo: herramientas, guiones y retroalimentaciones.

Los profesores constatamos reiteradamente que la forma de resolver las actividades grupales por parte de los estudiantes universitarios está muy alejada de un proceso de colaboración de alto nivel. Para ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar competencias de trabajo colaborativo se ha implementado una propuesta instruccional en cuatro clases (209 estudiantes), que orquesta diferentes tipos de ayuda a distintos planos. Globalmente, estudiantes y docentes valoran de forma positiva la experiencia

Cultural ways of constructing knowledge:the role of identities in online group discussions

Learning scientists and the CSCL community have argued that knowledge construction is a process of collective thinking; a process that is simultaneously personal and social that requires group cognition. However, while CSCL researchers have investigated situated knowledge in the process of collective thinking, little work has been done to fully understand how different identification categories play a role in sense-making and knowledge construction. This research, therefore, explores in detail how individuals operationalize identification categories when they engage in group discussions in online learning environments. Results demonstrate that individuals do not experience online learning through only one aspect of their identity. Rather, learning experiences evoke different elements of their identities that are used continuously and simultaneously when they collaborate with each other in the phases of knowledge construction

Exploring the shared meaning of being at one’s best in work

This research takes an iterative multiple case study approach and seeks new insight from common language in the workplace – specifically exploring what we mean when we say that we’re at our best in work. Being at your best is a common term in the workplace but one that is not reflected in the academic literature. Given that it is commonly used, perhaps there is a common or shared meaning. Exploring that shared meaning could help identify how to get more from individuals and support the development of positive workplaces. There are three strands to this research thesis. Firstly, the notion of being at one’s best is introduced. The literature review identifies an overlap in the concepts of work performance, engagement and commitment. These three concepts are complex and have challenges of definition and measurement. It is suggested that being at one’s best can be understood as involving high performance, engagement and commitment and will involve factors that are consistent to each of the three concepts. The overlap of the concepts is demonstrated in the pilot studies undertaken in three retail stores: the highest performing store; the store with the highest staff engagement survey results; and the store with the longest serving (committed) staff. Interviews, wordlists and questionnaires were interrogated and consistent themes across the 3 contexts formed a tentative framework of positive subjective states and positive behavioural patterns. Secondly, this thesis explores the possibility of a shared meaning of being at one’s best – extending the research to wider organisations. Further case studies are undertaken involving a total of 154 individuals in: a highly engaged hotel team; a high performing executive search team; the top performing shop managers in one company; and a study of individuals with at least five years’ service and intending to stay in their jobs. The common experiences of these individuals form the refined framework that describes being at one’s best in terms of: Positive subjective states (feelings); Positive behavioural patterns; and values. Individuals were feeling positive about themselves, their job, and their colleagues. They also showed positive behaviours related to achieving, supporting, and interacting. The connection between an individual’s values and their work was also highlighted as playing a role in being at one’s. The third and final strand of the research is the opportunity to reflect on techniques used to explore shared meaning. There is little consistency in the literature regarding how to explore shared meaning. The iterative approach of this research allowed for reflection on: interviews, questionnaires, word lists, focus groups and mental model activities as potential techniques for exploring shared meaning. The reflections provide insight regarding each technique and lead to the suggestion that focus groups are used earlier in the process of exploring shared meaning in the future

Exploring the dynamics of knowledge sharing in the online affinity apaces of "Let's Play" Youtube Channels

With this dissertation the goal is to analyze the novel medium of video game streaming and more specifically the “Let’s Play” video format as seen on YouTube and other online platforms. The practice has experienced a rapid growth in popularity over the course of the last decade since its emergence, which means many of its intricacies are yet to be accounted for by academic research. The intent is to engage with it from the perspective of learning and knowledge exchange and see whether such processes take place within the channels dedicated to this type of content, and if so to map out their dynamics, and reflect critically on the picture that emerges from the exploration of these virtual spaces.El objetivo de esta tesis es analizar el nuevo medio para retransmisión de videojuegos y, en particular, el formato de vídeo "Let's Play" como el que está en YouTube y otras plataformas en línea. La práctica ha experimentado un rápido crecimiento de popularidad en el transcurso de la última década desde su aparición, lo que significa que muchas de sus complejidades aún deben tenerse en cuenta por la investigación académica. La intención es abordar este formato desde la perspectiva del aprendizaje y el intercambio de conocimientos y ver si tales procesos tienen lugar dentro de los canales dedicados a este tipo de contenido y, en caso de ser así, trazar la dinámica y reflexionar críticamente sobre el panorama que surge de la exploración de estos espacios virtuales.L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi és analitzar el nou mitjà de retransmissió de videojocs i, més concretament, el format de vídeo "Let's Play" que es veu a YouTube i altres plataformes en línia. La popularitat d'aquesta pràctica ha crescut ràpidament durant l'última dècada des de la seva aparició, cosa que significa que moltes de les seves complexitats encara no han estat considerades per la investigació acadèmica. La intenció és abordar-lo des de la perspectiva de l'aprenentatge i l'intercanvi de coneixements i veure si aquests processos es desenvolupen dins dels canals dedicats a aquest tipus de continguts i, en cas afirmatiu, establir-ne la dinàmica i reflexionar de manera crítica sobre el panorama que es desprèn de l'exploració d'aquests espais virtuals

Multiliteracies book club: A participatory context for Australian public primary school teachers to negotiate literacy

This study aimed to explore and influence how Australian public primary school teachers evolve literacy understandings and perspectives, in relation to rapidly changing twenty-first century communication. Acknowledging a variety of theoretical commentary and research literature, the study argues that Australian literacy teaching and learning is currently oriented towards standardised and print-focused approaches, inscribed on teachers' pedagogies through transmissive professional learning and print-oriented curriculum reform. As an alternative, the present research drew on a theoretical framework incorporating multiliteracies theory, community of practice theory and critical perspectives on professional learning, to explore how discourses of multiliteracies can be fostered in a teacher book club involving multimodal texts. A qualitative case study explored a small group of seven public primary school teachers' voiced perspectives about literacy and professional learning, and how they participated in facilitated multiliteracies knowledge processes, during five monthly book club meetings. To interpret teachers' evolving perspectives and knowledge/s and changing social participation in the book club, critical discourse analysis was applied to chronological transcripts of discursive data. The analysis highlighted how these seven teachers identified constraints on multiliteracies pedagogy in the wider educational context, and engaged in recursive and collaborative negotiation of multiliteracies discourse. In particular, analysis showcased four teachers' emerging orientation to self-sourced digital texts and shifts to peer-led collaborative inquiry. During final reflective discussion, three teachers associated responsive opportunities in the book club with their expanded conception of literacy and interest-driven professional learning. Findings of this study support theorised relationships between multiliteracies and community of practice processes. Additionally, interpretive discussion elaborates how these teachers shaped book club experiences around peer-relevant needs and interests, by recruiting intercontextual resources. Together, results indicate that the book club format fosters teachers' participatory professional learning for multiliteracies