Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace
Palloff, Rena M., & Pratt, Keith (1999). Building
learning communities in cyberspace: Effective
strategies for the online classroom. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Quotes
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"…
when the only connection we have to our students is
through words on a screen, we must pay attention to
many issues that we take for granted in the
face-to-face classroom." p. xiv. |
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"Key to the learning process are the interactions on
long students themselves, the interactions between
faculty and students, and the collaboration and
learning that results from these interactions." p. 5 |
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"In distance education, attention needs to be paid to
the developing sense of community within the group of
participants in order for the learning process to be
successful." p.29 |
PART ONE: THE LEARNING COMMUNITY IN CYBERSPACE
Chapter 1: When Teaching And Learning Leave The
Classroom
Academia is in transition. With the growing number of
nontraditional students, it is estimated that fewer than
25% of college students today are the "traditional"
student (i.e., between eighteen and 25 and attending
full-time). At the same time, universities are feeling
pressure to cut costs while improving quality, to
respond to competitive pressures by focusing more on
customer needs. Additionally, there are many new
information technology tools, in both faculty and
students are grappling with the changes they bring to
education. More and more schools are implementing or
planning distance education.
We
are finding that faculty and students behave differently
in distance learning vs. on-campus classrooms, and the
nature of teaching and learning can change dramatically.
Definition
Distance learning involves:
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Separation of teacher and learner throughout much of
the instructional process |
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The use of media to deliver course content and unite
teacher and learner |
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Two way communication between teacher and learner |
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Separation of teacher and learner in space and time |
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More control of learning by students rather than the
instructor |
Learners in traditional classrooms are often passive.
Learning in a distance education environment cannot be
passive or else the instructor has no way of knowing
that students are participating. A web of learning must
be created; that is, a network of interactions between
the instructor and other participants.
Students in Cyberspace
According to the California Distance Learning Project,
students attracted to distance education:
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Are voluntarily seeking further education |
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Are more motivated |
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Have higher expectations |
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Are more self-disciplined |
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Tend to be older than the average student |
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Have a more serious attitude about their coursework |
Not
all students will do well in the online classroom.
Those who do not should be given the alternative of
returning to a traditional classroom.
Introversion and Extroversion
The
online environment can lead introverted persons to
become more successful, but extraverted people may have
more difficulty.
Making the Transition
Current distance learning classes are primarily textual.
In a traditional classroom, students interact with each
other before and after class. They can view facial
expressions and body language, hear tones of voice.
Lacking these features, it is sometimes difficult to
establish a presence online and people run the risk of
becoming "disembodied".
Students can be encouraged to establish an online
presence via homepages, move posting biographical
introductions, and being encouraged to share feelings.
Nipper (1989) suggests it is important to somehow create
the sense that a group is working together in real time,
even when most of the group interactions are
asynchronous.
But
while the online experience sometimes takes away, it
also sometimes gives. Socioeconomic, cultural,
ethnic, gender, and other characteristics are less
apparent online. People are judged more by the quality
of their thoughts and ideas.
The
Search for Knowledge And Meaning In The Online Classroom
Children today are being weaned on video games and the
Internet. Thus, they expect more active ways of
learning. However, at the same time a technological gap
is opening between students and educators, who are for
the most part newcomers to these technologies.
Emerging models of learning like constructivism and
active learning emphasize experimentation, exploration,
interaction, feedback, collaboration, teamwork, groups
activities, and simulation as processes by which borders
actively create knowledge and meaning. Such models are
the choice for online distance learning environments.
However, they tend to convert teachers from "experts" to
"facilitators", a transition with which many faculty
experience difficulties.
New
Approaches, New Skills
It
is up to the teacher to create a "container" for the
class by posting goals, objectives, expected outcomes,
initial guidelines, questions to kick off discussion,
and assignments. then it is time to take a more of a
back seat and begin to gently guide or prod learners.
In
this transitional period, many online classes are still
content driven, just as they are in a face-to-face
classroom. This facilitator model is a new paradigm.
it is more free flowing and interactive. for example,
produce events may decide on readings, negotiate
guidelines, and venture into areas previously
unexplored.
Guidelines and Procedures
Guidelines and procedures that are too rigid will
constrain discussion. They should be loose and free
flowing. However, netiquette should be encouraged.
Participation
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"Buy-in" from participants is essential. |
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Minimal levels of participation should be established
and agreed upon. |
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Initial face-to-face sessions can establish a sense of
group identity and support participation. |
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Introductions help, as does posting open-ended
questions. |
Collaboration
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There should be plenty of both participant-facilitator
and participant-participant interactions. |
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The best way to facilitate collaboration is by
modeling the methodology (i.e., to become a group
member who is contributing to the learning process). |
Chapter 2: Defining and Redefining Community
Definition
Shaffer & Anundsen (1993) define community as "a dynamic
whole that emerges when a group of people
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Share common practices |
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Are interdependent |
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Make decisions jointly |
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Identify themselves with something larger than the sum
of their individual relationships |
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Make a long term commitment to well-being (their own,
one another's and the group's)." |
In
the past, communities were generally place-based.
However, there are indeed such things as electronic
community and virtual community, and ties can even be
stronger than those in face-to-face groups.
Basic Steps to Build a Virtual Community
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Clearly define the group's purpose |
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Create a distinctive gathering place for the group |
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Promote affected leadership from within |
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Develop norms |
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Publish a clear cut of conduct |
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Allow members to play different roles |
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Allow and facilitate subgroups |
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Allow all members to attempt to resolve their own
disputes |
Stages Of Group Development
(Tuckman, 1965)
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Forming
-
Norming
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Storming
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Performing
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Adjourning
Conflict
|
Online groups may have more difficulty reaching
consensus, and when they experience conflict (as all
groups do) the conflict may be deeper, perhaps because
people the old less socially constrained. This is not
necessarily a bad thing-- for example, mediation by
the group made lead to stronger group connections. |
|
Instructors in an online environment should feel
comfortable with conflict, should applaud its
appearance, should facilitate its resolution if
necessary, and may actually need to trigger it on
occasion. |
The
Importance of Community In The Electronic Classroom
If a
participant logs onto a course site and there has been
no activity for days, he or she may become discouraged
or even feel a sense of abandonment. The learning
community acts as a vehicle through which learning
occurs. And that sense of community doesn't just
happen--- it must be facilitated. The development of
community becomes a parallel stream to the course
content.
Personal Issues
You
must create space for personal issues in your online
course. if this space is not created, purchase events
will likely seek out other ways to create personal
interaction, either by a email or by bringing personal
issues into course discussion.
Participation and Desired Outcomes
An
online learning community cannot be created by one
person--- no matter how hard he/she works. Participants
also have a responsibility to make community happen.
Therefore, accessing the course site is not enough--they
must also make comments. Establish minimal guidelines
for participation.
Well, I hope that’s enough to give you the flavor of
this excellent book. Other chapters include:
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What we know about electronic learning |
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Time and group size |
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Managing the technology |
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Part two: building an electronic learning community |
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Making the conversion from the classroom to cyberspace |
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Building foundations |
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Promoting collaborative learning |
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Transformative learning |
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Evaluation |
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Lessons learned and a look ahead |
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