A Journey Toward Learner-Centered Curriculum

In higher education, competing demands for accountability and innovation in the face of globalization, technology, and budget cuts cause us to consider how best to prepare learners who will learn for a lifetime. We contend that a shift in our understanding of curriculum design to accommodate learner-centeredness will provide the framework for preparing graduates for a lifetime of learning. Learner-centered curriculum proposes to create highly developed individuals, providing them the skills to continue creating learning experiences, digest current knowledge, and create new knowledge within the curriculum itself. Curriculum characteristics, as identified in the curriculum design project presented here, include content appropriate to the characteristics of a new society. It also includes all that is required of a curriculum in order for it to be transparent and easily understood as the scaffolding of learning. This definition of a learner-centered curriculum includes components that educators deem to be relevant and vital for students. It adds curriculum processes and required outcomes to prepare students for curriculum creation alongside educators.Au niveau des études supérieures, les exigences pour la responsabilité et l'innovation face à la globalisation, la technologie, et aux coupures budgétaires nous poussent à considérer comment mieux former ceux qui apprendront tout au long de leur vie. Nous croyons qu'un changement de notre compréhension de la planification du curriculum, davantage centrée sur l'apprenant, fournira un encadrement pour préparer les diplômés pour une vie d'apprentissage. Ce type de curriculum tend à développer chez les individus des habilités qui leur permettront de continuer leurs expériences d'apprentissages, d'acquérir des connaissances et même d'améliorer le curriculum. Les caractéristiques du curriculum, définies dans le projet de planification présenté ici, prennent en considération les caractéristiques d'une nouvelle société. Elles incluent également tout ce qui est nécessaire pour qu'un curriculum soit transparent et facilement compris comme structure visant l'apprentissage. Cette définition de la planification du curriculum inclut des facteurs que les éducateurs trouveront utiles et vitaux pour les étudiants. Sont aussi présentés des processus de curriculum et des résultats attendus afin de préparer les étudiants à collaborer avec les éducateurs à la création d'un curriculum

Эритодермическая форма красного волосяного лишая

ПИТИРИАЗ КРАСНЫЙ ВОЛОСЯНОЙ /диагнлишай красный волосянойЭРИТЕМАКОЖНЫЕ БОЛЕЗНИ ПАПУЛЕЗНО-ЧЕШУЙЧАТЫЕ /диаг

Editorial

In this issue of the Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, evidence-based practice continues to be emphasized, in addition to providing information reflecting trends in a rapidly evolving education space. According to the most recent Horizon Report, multiple trends overlap specifically with topics addressed in our journal: the widespread adoption of hybrid learning models, increased use of learning technologies, online faculty development, and quality online learning. We invite you to review the content summary of this journal issue

Community Building and Computer-Mediated Conferencing

This study examined the relationship between community cohesion and computer-mediated conferencing (CMC), as well as other variables potentially associated with the development of a learning community. Within the context of a graduate-level course in instructional design (a core course in the Masters of Distance Education program at Athabasca University) students participated in asynchronous online discussion groups as an integral part of their course activities. Upon completion of the course, a questionnaire based on Rovai's (2002) Classroom Cohesion Scale (CSS) was administered to examine the relationship between community cohesion and students' perception of their CMC participation as well as other selected variables. The CSS was comprised of two subscales: the Connectedness subscale and the Learning Community subscale. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between community cohesion and passive CMC involvement (i.e., reading postings) but not with more active CMC involvement (e.g., making postings, replying to others' postings). Significant positive correlations were also found between course satisfaction and community cohesion (both the Learning Community and Connectedness subscales) and between program satisfaction and community cohesion (only the Connectedness subscale)

Online Graduate Student Identity and Professional Skills Development

Graduate students are assumed to develop skills in oral and written communication and collegial relationships that are complementary to formal graduate programs. However, it appears only a small number of universities provide such professional development opportunities alongside academic programs, and even fewer do so online. There appears to be an assumption in higher education that students develop professional skills by virtue of learning through required academic tasks and having proximity to other students and faculty. Skeptics of online study raise questions about whether graduate students studying online can participate fully in such graduate communities and access these informal professional skill-building opportunities. It is possible that such activities may have to be designed and delivered for online graduate students. This paper presents preliminary qualitative findings from a project that developed, offered, and evaluated such online opportunities. Findings suggest that while online graduate students can and do develop professional skills while navigating their studies, building relationships, and participating in online learning communities, they are keen to develop such professional skills in a more deliberate way.  On présume que les étudiants des cycles supérieurs acquièrent des habiletés en communication orale et écrite et vivent des relations de collaboration qui soient complémentaires aux programmes formels des études supérieures. Cependant, il semblerait que seul un petit nombre d’universités offre de telles opportunités de perfectionnement professionnel dans leurs programmes académiques, et que ce nombre est même inférieur en ce qui a trait aux formations en ligne. On suppose que les étudiants des études supérieures acquièrent des habiletés professionnelles en raison des travaux académiques de leur formation et des relations établies avec leurs professeurs et d’autres étudiants. Les sceptiques au sujet de la formation en ligne émettent des doutes quant à la possibilité, pour les étudiants diplômés qui étudient en ligne, de participer pleinement à ces communautés universitaires et d’avoir accès à ces occasions informelles d’acquérir des compétences professionnelles. Il se peut que ces activités doivent être conçues puis offertes aux étudiants de cycles supérieurs en ligne. L’étude qui suit présente les résultats préliminaires qualitatifs d’un projet qui a élaboré, offert et évalué de telles opportunités en ligne. Les résultats suggèrent que si les étudiants de cycles supérieurs en ligne sont en mesure d’acquérir des habiletés professionnelles tout en poursuivant leurs études, échafaudant des relations et participant à des communautés d’apprentissage en ligne, ils sont aussi enthousiastes de développer plus délibérément de telles habiletés professionnelles

Revisiting methodological issues in transcript analysis: Negotiated coding and reliability

Transcript analysis is an important methodology to study asynchronous online educational discourse. The purpose of this study is to revisit reliability and validity issues associated with transcript analysis. The goal is to provide researchers with guidance in coding transcripts. For validity reasons, it is suggested that the first step is to select a sound theoretical model and coding scheme. Particular focus is placed on exploring the advantages of the option of a negotiated approach to coding the transcript. It is concluded that researchers need to consider the advantages of negotiation when coders and researchers are not familiar with the coding scheme

Identifying, Developing and Grading ‘Soft Skills’ in Higher Education: A Technological Approach

Identifying, developing and grading soft skills, i.e., transversal cross-curricular competencies, in higher education requires the recognition of key qualities, the capacity to discriminate between these qualities and a mechanism to validly and reliability grade soft skill acquisition. This research proposes a technological infrastructure that acknowledges the importance of self-assessment, peer observation and teacher evaluation when adjudicating on subjective and often personal data. The proposal has the capacity to balance, weight and triangulate the objective and subjective evidence of soft skill acquisition ensuring the validity and reliability of the resultant accreditation. Accreditation of soft skills was in the form of digital badges. Using the proposed technological approach, the identification, development and grading of soft skills can be reviewed, tracked and managed over time to demonstrate competencies with respect to both the context and situation. The technological approach empowers stakeholders as critical partners within the assessment process and supports the ecological validity of their judgements based on the evidence submitted for accreditation. Reliability is strengthened by the triangulation of these judgements. Though more significantly, the technological approach facilitates the capacity to weight stakeholders’ decisions relative to the context and situation

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